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V 



THE BAPTISTS 

WHO ARE THEY? 

AND 

WHAT DO THEY BELIEVE? 



BY 



W. B. BOGGS 

American Baptist Telugu Mission, Ramapatam, India 



PHILADELPHIA 
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY 
1 701-1703 Chestnut Street 



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INTRODUCTION 



The present publication has origi- 
nated in the thought that it is perfectly 
legitimate and proper for any church or 
body of Christians to make a public 
statement, from time to time, of what its 
members believe, and why they believe 
it. Such a course may be productive of 
much good, in enabling us better to un- 
derstand each other's position. It may 
save us from false and uncharitable views, 
and from unintentionally misrepresent- 
ing one another. 

Another reason which has led to its 
preparation is the fact that much igno- 
rance concerning our doctrines and prin- 
ciples is frequently manifested. We are 
sometimes misrepresented, and doctrines 
are attributed to us which no true and 
enlightened Baptist ever held. Although 
our principles are plain and simple, many 
do not know what we believe. 
3 



The following, then, aims to be a brief 
and simple statement, by one who be- 
came a Baptist from principle (having 
been reared in the Church of England), 
of the doctrines and principles which 
Baptists hold most sacredly, as the re- 
vealed will of God. It is not designedly 
controversial. Yet it would be impos- 
sible to discuss denominational peculiari- 
ties without more or less reference to 
controverted points. It attacks no one, 
it upbraids no one, it ridicules no one. 
At the same time, I must claim the 
privilege of being free and unfettered in 
discussing principles and doctrines, and 
in appealing to history for its verdict, for 
truth is the object to be gained. " Prove 
all things ; hold fast that which is 
good." 

I address myself especially to thought- 
ful persons who are willing to give a fair, 
unprejudiced hearing, who can give due 
weight to evidence, and see the force of 
an argument. 

It will be observed that I have devoted 
considerable space to quotations from the 
writings of eminent men. I have done 



this because of its manifest importance. 
The almost unanimous concurrence of 
the ablest biblical scholars who have 
ever lived, concerning certain principles, 
ought certainly to have greater weight 
than any private opinion or statement. 
In making such extracts no unfair ad- 
vantage has been taken of any man's 
words, u e., no author has been made to 
say what he does not say. The plain, 
deliberate, published statements of men 
of learning and reputation are given, 
without distorting or wresting them. 

My object, then, as before stated, is to 
set forth, as I may be able within the 
present narrow limits, the leading prin- 
ciples of the Baptists, and ascertain 
whether they are founded on the word 
of God and the principles of the Re- 
deemer's kingdom. If they will not 
bear that test they are not worth hold- 
ing for an hour. If they are the princi- 
ples which Christ laid down as the fun- 
damentals of his everlasting kingdom, 
then they are worth more than all hu- 
man knowledge; yea, they are worth 
dying for. 



NOTE TO FOURTH EDITION 



This little manual is still called for ; 
hence the issue of this fourth edition. 
Several cases have come to my knowl- 
edge in which it has been a guide and 
help to those seeking the truth. May it 
be so to others ! 

Believing firmly that the principles 
which it represents are in accordance 
with the word of God, and therefore 
true ; and if scriptural and true, there- 
fore needful, it is again sent forth. May 
the Head of the church accept it, and if 
he please, employ it in his service ! 

W. B. B. 

Ramapatam, October, 1898. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction 3 

I. Our Name 11 

II. The Infallible Standard 13 

III. Personal Faith Indispensable . . . 16 

IV. A Regenerated Church-Member- 

ship 20 

V. Church Polity 24 

VI. Soul Liberty 35 

VII. Baptism — The Design 40 

VIII. Baptism — The Subjects 42 

IX. Baptism — The Mode ....... 60 

X. Close Communion 105 

XL Antiquity of Baptist Principles . .116 

XII. Baptist Martyrology 132 

XI II. Our Position 142 

XIV. Statistics, etc 148 

Articles of Faith and Covenant . . . .155 



X 



THE BAPTISTS 

WHO ARE THEY ? AND WHAT DO THEY 
BEUEVE ? 



Our Name 



The name "Baptist" has been applied 
to us to distinguish us from others, and it 
serves as a convenient designation. In 
former times it was "Anabaptists," mean- 
ing rebaptizers, because then, as now, all 
who were received into our churches on 
profession of their faith in Christ were, 
"according to his command, baptized, 
whether the ceremony of infant sprin- 
kling had been performed or not. This 
term always was, and still is, repudiated 
by us as unjust ; for, according to our 
views of divine truth, we contend that it 
is not a rebaptism, such persons never 

having been truly, that is, scripturally, 
ii 



12 

baptized. The term Anabaptist is rarely 
used now. 

The name " Baptists," as used by us, 
does not imply that we are followers of 
John the Baptist. It has no direct refer- 
ence to him nor to any other human 
leader. Nor does it mean that we make 
baptism the central truth in our religious 
system. How far we are from doing this 
will be shown presently. 

The term is not the most expressive 
one that could be used to designate us ; 
for merely to hold the views which we 
do concerning baptism is but a part of 
what is implied in being a Baptist. Not 
every one who believes in or practises 
adult immersion is a real Baptist. There 
are great underlying principles touching 
personal faith in Christ, loyalty to his 
word, individual responsibility to him, 
and the spiritual nature of his kingdom, 
which we regard as the weightier matters. 

We have no real name but Christians. 
But since Christendom is divided into 
different bodies, there must be some way 
of distinguishing them one from another, 
and as others are designated Catholics, 



13 

Anglicans, Independents, Lutherans, 
Presbyterians, Methodists, etc., and peo- 
ple choose to call us Baptists in order to 
have some definite distinction, we do not 
object to it. So much for the name — 
that is all it is and all it means. 



II 

The Infallible Standard 

The great fundamental principle of 
the Baptists is this : That the word of 
God is the only, all-sufficient, and infal- 
lible standard and authority in religious 
things. They demand a " thus saith the 
Lord " for every doctrine and rule and 
practice for which authority is claimed 
in the churches of Christ. They insist 
upon unswerving fidelity to the Holy 
Scriptures, without adding thereto or 
taking therefrom. " To the law and to 
the testimpn}'," is their motto. In place 
of Canon Laws and Rubrics, and Eccle- 
siastical Institutes, and Books of Disci- 
pline, and Directories " by authority," 



14 

they regard the Bible as the only authori- 
tative statute book in the things of re- 
ligion. 

Surely this principle is the only safe 
one. For the slightest departure from it, 
or the adoption of any other, opens the 
way for the modification of Christ's laws, 
or even their abolition, and the substitu- 
tion of human laws, resulting in unlim- 
ited changes of faith and practice. 

This principle commends itself as one 
of prime importance, and requiring the 
strictest adherence. For if the Bible is 
not all-sufficient, and additional regula- 
tions have to be made, who shall make 
them? Wise men differ widely. The 
learned of one age might repudiate the 
principles adopted by those of a former 
age. One council might ignore the de- 
crees of another ; and thus endless con- 
fusion must ensue. Let the dissensions 
and distractions of Christendom be the 
forcible, yet sad illustration. Besides all 
this, God has said, "the wisdom of this 
world is foolishness with God." The 
Lord alone is the rightful lawgiver of 
his church. His people are not at lib- 



i5 

erty to make laws ; their duty is simply 
to execute and obey those already made 
by the great Legislator. What he has 
laid down they are to observe ; what he 
has not enacted they may not demand. 

It is thus that Baptists hold the head- 
ship of Christ. They really and prac- 
tically hold him as the " Head over all 
things to the church," " that in all 
things he might have the pre-eminence." 

They believe that no command of 
Christ is non-essential. There is much 
talk about essentials and non-essentials. 
But how can any command, or even the 
slightest intimation of the will of the 
all-glorious King of kings and Lord of 
lords, the Redeemer and Head of the 
church, be unimportant ? Every word of 
his is pregnant with meaning and weighty 
with authority. 

This principle has not always been 
firmly held. If it had been unswervingly 
adhered to from the beginning, Christian- 
ity would doubtless have been saved very 
largely from corruption and division, and 
a complete return to it now would tend 
greatly to the unity of all believers. 



i6 
III 

Personal Faith Indispensable 

Another foundation principle of the 
Baptists, and one in which they differ 
from all the leading sects of Christians, 
is this : That personal faith in Christ is 
the great fundamental requirement and 
prerequisite to all church ordinances. 
They hold that none but those who have 
believed in Jesus to the saving of the 
soul are qualified for either of the sacra- 
ments of Christ, or for membership in 
his church. We are thus led to the con- 
clusion that ordinances are unmeaning 
and useless forms without faith in Christ 
on the part of the candidate himself. 
Rivers of water cannot wash away his 
sin ; the sacred Supper cannot originate 
the first impulse of spiritual life. 

Faith must be placed at the very 
threshold of religion. Previous to re- 
pentance and faith, man is an enemy 
against God. How then can the exer- 
cises of religion on the part of such a 
one be acceptable to him ? Faith is in- 



i7 

dispensable ; nothing can be substituted 
for it ; nothing can be given as an equiv- 
alent ; its absence must render void all 
ceremonies. And it must be personal 
faith. Proxy is inadmissible. " Every 
one of us shall give account of himself 
to God." 

From this principle results our posi- 
tive and oft-repeated denial that we be- 
lieve baptism to be a saving ordinance. 
There are none who are so determinedly 
opposed to this deadly error as Baptists. 
And yet there are persons, intelligent 
and well informed in other things, who 
say, either through ignorance or malice, 
" Oh, the Baptists believe that you cannot 
be saved unless you are dipped ! " And 
this statement sometimes comes from the 
pulpit. There never was a charge made 
more utterly and absolutely false. They 
no more believe that than they believe 
one cannot be saved without the lord's 
Supper. 

It is not the Baptists who, when one is 
taken suddenly ill, hurry away for a min- 
ister to come and baptize him. Baptism 
with us is a profession of faith already 



i8 

possessed, and we refuse to baptize any 
but those who declare their faith in 
Christ, and their belief that they have 
been born again, and their solemn deter- 
mination to follow and serve him. We 
baptize not because it is saving, but be- 
cause it is commanded. 

Whether others regard it as really a 
saving ordinance, or as having some mys- 
terious sort of saving influence, or at 
least as being a channel of grace, let 
their own statements declare. 

The late Rev. Henry Melvill, of Lon- 
don, a representative Episcopalian, with 
the Prayer-book open in his hand, says : 
"We really think that no fair, no 
straightforward dealing, can get rid of 
the conclusion that the church holds 
what is called Baptismal Regeneration. 
You may dislike the doctrine, you may 
wish to have it expunged from the 
Prayer-book, but so long as I subscribe 
to that Prayer-book, and so long as I 
officiate according to the forms of that 
Prayer-book, I do not see how I can be 
commonly honest and deny that every 
baptized person is on that account regen- 



19 

erate." — MelvilPs Sermons, Vol. II. , p. 
306. 

The " Augsburg Confession of Faith," 
the Lutheran standard of doctrine, dis- 
tinctly declares baptism to be necessary 
to salvation, and that through it infants 
become children of God (Art. 9). 

The " Westminster Confession of 
Faith n declares baptism to be unto the 
party baptized "a sign and seal of the 
covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into 
Christ, of regeneration, of remission of 
sins," etc. And yet it is applied, by 
those who hold this creed, to persons 
who do not and cannot believe, so that 
it signifies in such cases, " ingrafting into 
Christ, regeneration, and remission of 
sins," without personal faith. 

In Wesley's " Doctrinal Tracts," pp. 
246-259, he says : " By baptism we who 
were 'by nature children of wrath,' are 
made the children of God," and much 
more to the same effect. 

Baptists unequivocally deny, both in 
their declarations of faith and by their 
practice, that they believe baptism to be 
a saving ordinance. 



20 



This principle, viz., the absolute ne- 
cessity of personal faith before all ordi- 
nances and church engagements and rela- 
tionships, is of the greatest moment, and 
cannot be insisted on too earnestly. On 
it the spirituality of the church and the 
welfare of souls, in one sense, depend. 
That it is, to a lamentable extent, over- 
looked or made void by various bodies 
of Christians, is only too evident. Some 
who profess to hold it, practically ignore 
it. Wherever infant baptism is practised, 
this principle is violated. 



IV 

A Regenerated Church-membership 

Another Baptist principle, closely allied 
to the preceding one, is as follows : A 
church of Christ, according to his word, 
should be composed only of regenerated 
persons ; not those who are merely moral 
and respectable ; not those who are but 
seekers after salvation ; not those who 
can repeat certain creeds and catechisms ; 



21 



not regenerated persons and their off- 
spring, but those alone who make a cred- 
ible profession of conversion. 

All the references to Christian churches 
throughout the New Testament imply 
that they were companies of believers, 
persons who had become " new creatures " 
in Christ Jesus. The apostolic Epistles 
begin with such salutations as these : " To 
all that be in Rome, beloved of God, 
called to be saints " ; " Unto the church 
of God which is at Corinth, to them that 
are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be 
saints, 5 ' etc. ; u To the saints which are at 
Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ 
Jesus " ; " To all the saints in Christ 
Jesus which are at Philippi, with the 
bishops and deacons "; "To the saints 
and faithful brethren in Christ, which 
are at Colosse." 

Now, when vital union with Christ 
and a consequent renewal of heart and 
life are not made the prime and indis- 
pensable qualifications for membership 
in a church, the scriptural standard is 
lowered, and the principle here laid down 
is abandoned. This principle is ignored 



22 



wherever persons are received into church- 
membership because they have arrived at 
a certain age, or because they have re- 
ceived a certain amount of religious in- 
struction, or because their parents are 
religious, or because they are highly re- 
spectable and possess means and influ- 
ence, and can therefore contribute largely 
to the support of the church. A scrip- 
tural church, under such conditions, is a 
dream. 

A regenerated church-membership and 
infant baptism are irreconcilable. They 
are directly opposed to and subversive of 
each other. Because, by infant baptism, 
persons are brought into the church, un- 
consciously and involuntarily, who may 
never be born again. But they are mem- 
bers of the church. This has been main- 
tained over and over again by leading 
Pedobaptists. Large numbers, therefore, 
are brought into the church in this way 
who may never possess any vital godli- 
ness ; and whose conversion is rendered 
less probable by the fact that something 
was done for them in their infancy, which 
they are in danger of regarding as in 



23 

some sense a spiritual benefit, if not an 
actual substitute for the new birth. In 
fact, in some denominations they are 
taught that it is the new birth. Why 
should one think conversion necessary, 
when he is taught from his childhood, as 
the writer was, that in baptism he was 
made "a member of Christ, a child of 
God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of 
heaven "? How unmeaning to preach 
to "a member of Christ " the necessity of 
being born again ! He might well reply 
"I am an inheritor of the kingdom of 
heaven ; the church made me such ; go 
and preach repentance and regeneration 
to those who need it." How can a re- 
generated church-membership be even 
approximately realized under such cir- 
cumstances ? 

It is not claimed that the membership 
of all Baptist churches is entirely pure. 
They doubtless include some who have 
never known Christ by faith. But, while 
this is to be deplored, it cannot be won- 
dered at when we remember that even 
under the eyes of the apostles, false pro- 
fessors, such as Simon Magus, crept into 



24 

the church. But there is a vast differ- 
ence between unknowingly receiving 
some who, although solemnly professing 
faith in Christ and a change of heart are 
nevertheless unrenewed, there is, I say, 
a great difference between this and know- 
ingly, deliberately, and purposely intro- 
ducing large numbers in their natural, 
unrenewed state, into the church. If 
unconverted persons come into the fel- 
lowship of our churches, it is not the 
fault of our principles. We receive those 
only who make what we believe to be a 
sincere and honest profession of saving 
faith in Jesus Christ. 



V 

Church Polity 

Baptists hold that a Christian church 
is, according to the New Testament, a 
company of true believers in Christ, who, 
having been baptized, mutually band 
themselves together to observe the ordi- 
nances of Christ, to walk in the fellow- 
ship of the gospel, to maintain a godly 



25 

life, to uphold the worship of God, to 
glorify his name, and to seek the exten- 
sion of his kingdom throughout the 
world. 

In the matter of church government, 
Baptists believe that each separate and 
individual church is independent of the 
authority of all other churches, persons, 
and bodies of men, either civil or ecclesi- 
astical, and that its affairs are to be ad- 
ministered by its own members, under 
the authority of Christ. This is generally 
known as the congregational form of 
church polity. 

The use of the word church in the 
New Testament is instructive on this 
point. We find it frequently used in the 
plural, the " churches." When it is em- 
ployed in the singular, it generally refers 
to a particular company of believers, in a 
certain place, e.g., "The church that was 
at Antioch " ; u the church of Ephesus n ; 
11 the church in Smyrna," etc. In the 
other cases where it occurs in the singu- 
lar, it plainly refers to the whole number 
of Christ's people, considered collectively, 
but evidently never means a large eccle- 



26 

siastical organization, embracing a num- 
ber of churches, such as those of a whole 
country or province. We find no ex- 
pression in Scripture corresponding to 
such terms as the u Church of England," 
or the "Church of Scotland," or "the 

. Church of the United States." We 

do not here read of the Church of Judea, 
or the Church of Galatia, or the Church 
of Macedonia, but the churches of Judea, 
etc. "Then had the churches rest 
throughout all Judea and Galilee and 
Samaria," etc. (Acts 9:31); "And so were 
the churches established in the faith " 
(Acts 16:5). Paul speaks of "all the 
churches of the Gentiles" (Rom. 16 : 4), 
and "the churches of God" (1 Cor. 11 : 
16). Again he says, "And so ordain I in 
all the churches" (1 Cor. 7 : 17), not in 
the whole church ; and " that which 
cometh upon me daily, the care," not 
of the whole church, but "of all the 
churches" (2 Cor. 11 : 28). 

We find in the New Testament nothing 
of the nature of ecclesiastical courts, as 
they are called, exercising jurisdiction 
and authority over churches. Our Lord 



27 

Jesus Christ in his directions for the 
treatment of offenses (Matt. 18) recog- 
nizes the church (evidently the individual 
church to which the offender belongs) as 
the ultimate tribunal of appeal, and its 
action as final. He says, when the pre- 
vious steps have failed, " tell it unto the 
church. " He makes not the remotest 
reference to any higher court of appeal, 
either ecclesiastical or civil. 

We find another illustration of this 
principle in i Cor. 5:2, 5, 12, 13. Paul 
reproves the church at Corinth for not 
dealing promptly with an offender, and 
calls upon them, when they are assem- 
bled together, to deliver him to Satan, 
etc. Again, in referring to this case (2 
Cor. 2 : 6), he states that the punishment 
was inflicted by "many," or literally by 
the greater number, which manifestly 
means the majority. 

It has been claimed that the fifteenth 
chapter of the Acts furnishes authority 
for church courts. Is this a valid claim? 
Let us turn to the account of it. 

A church sprang up in the Gentile city 
of Antioch. Certain men from Judea 



28 

visited them, and taught that they must 
be circumcised, or they could not be 
saved. This doctrine was a subversion 
of the gospel. After much discussion it 
was decided to carry the question to Jeru- 
salem, where most of the apostles were, 
and where they would be most likely to 
ascertain the truth in reference to the 
disputed doctrine. Paul, Barnabas, and 
others were sent as delegates. 

When they were come to Jerusalem 
they were received by the church, and 
the apostles and elders. Then a meeting 
was held to consider the matter. At the 
close of Peter's address, "all the multi- 
tude kept silence " while they heard what 
Paul and Barnabas had to say. Then 
James spoke, and after his address, "it 
pleased the apostles and elders, with the 
whole church, to send chosen men of 
their own company to Antioch with Paul 
and Barnabas," to bear their communica- 
tion ; and the document which they pre- 
pared commences thus : " The apostles 
and elders and brethren send greeting," 
etc. We are led to the following con- 
clusions : 



2 9 

1. This was not a general council, for 
only two churches were represented, and 
therefore, it bears no resemblance to 
modern councils. 

2. It was unlike any council which 
can now be convened, for it was presided 
over by apostles and inspired men. 

3. It furnishes no warrant for author- 
itative councils, since they cannot now 
issue inspired decrees. 

4. It was in all respects, and in the 
highest degree, exceptional and extraor- 
dinary. 

The celebrated Archbishop Whately 
says : " As for so-called general councils, 
we find not even any mention of them, 
or allusion to any such expedient. The 
pretended First Council at Jerusalem 
does seem to me a most extraordinary 
chimera, without any warrant whatever 
from sacred history." — Kingdom of Christ, 
p. 36. 

Mosheim, the great church historian, 
says : " In those primitive times, each 
Christian church was composed of the 
people, the presiding officers, and the 
assistants or deacons. These must be 



32 

The New Testament bishop was not 
a " lord over God's heritage," in author- 
ity over a number of churches and min- 
isters in a large district, but was simply 
the pastor, or one of the pastors, of a 
church. Paul, in writing to the church 
at Philippi, addresses "the saints in Christ 
Jesus, with the bishops and deacons.' ' 

The terms " bishop " and " elder " are 
used synonymously. In Paul's address 
at Miletus, to the elders of the Ephesian 
Church (Acts 20), he says : " Take heed, 
therefore, unto yourselves, and to all the 
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost 
hath made you overseers " (eptscopous). 
The same word is here used which is 
elsewhere translated bishop. The elders, 
therefore, were bishops. The same thing 
is proved conclusively in Titus 1 : 5-7, 
where Paul reminds Titus that he left 
him in Crete to ordain elders in every 
city. He goes on immediately to men- 
tion the necessary qualifications of the 
men to be so ordained, and then adds, 
" for a bishop " must be blameless, etc. 
"Elder," "bishop," "pastor," therefore 
refer to the same office. 



33 

That these two officers, bishop and 
deacon, were the only ones recognized in 
the primitive churches seems evident 
from Paul's directions both to Timothy 
and Titus. In treating of the qualifica- 
tions of church officers, he mentions these 
only. If others had existed he would 
undoubtedly have referred to them. We 
find no warrant in the Book for the 
almost endless variety and gradation of 
clerical orders and distinctions, from pope 
to parson, from cardinal to curate, which 
exist at the present day. We must, there- 
fore, conclude that these offices are the 
inventions of men, and we are of the 
opinion that the Lord Jesus Christ does 
not need men to invent anything for 
him. " His work is perfect. " 

Baptist churches are presided over by 
"bishops," in the New Testament sense — 
z. £., overseers or pastors — and their tem- 
poral affairs are in charge of deacons. 

Baptists call councils from time to 

time, as occasion seems to require, but no 

authority is claimed for them. They do 

not issue "decrees," but are only advisory. 

They are not clerical conclaves, but are 
c 



34 

composed of private brethren as well as 
ministers. Baptists hold Associations and 
Conventions, but they are merely meet- 
ings for general religious purposes, and 
have no legislative authority or ruling 
power whatever. 

And yet, there is as much real unity 
among Baptist churches the world over, 
as among those which are bound together 
by extensive, complicated, ponderous ec- 
clesiastical systems of human origin. 
Baptist churches, though independent of 
each other, are united by the most pow- 
erful of all bonds, even those specified 
by Paul, when exhorting the Ephesian 
Christians to maintain unity (Eph. 4 : 4- 
6) : " There is one body, and one Spirit, 
even as ye are called in one hope of your 
calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
one God and Father of all, who is above 
all, and through all, and in you all." 

This system of church government, 
framed, we believe, by Divine wisdom, is 
characterized by simplicity, instead of 
complexity ; and yet it is comprehensive 
enough to meet all requirements, and ad- 
equate to the successful settlement of all 



35 

difficulties, when administered in the 
spirit of Christian love. 

It is in connection with this principle 
of the independence of the churches, that 
Baptists have ever maintained an uncom- 
promising disapproval of the unhallowed 
union of Church and State ; it being per- 
fectly clear that thus united, the Church 
must be secularized by the State, as is 
lamentably apparent in all such estab- 
lishments. 



VI 

Soul Liberty 

Another principle for which Baptists 
have always contended is soul liberty, or 
perfect freedom of conscience. 

Most denominations are very ready to 
advocate this principle now, since in the 
light of the nineteenth century it is seen 
to be built on the foundation of truth 
and justice ; but trace back its history 
and it will be found to be a distinguish- 
ing principle of the Baptists. They have 
ever stood forth as the champions of per- 



36 

feet religious liberty — holding that no 
man or body of men, civil or ecclesiasti- 
cal, has a right to interfere with the con- 
science or to force any one to believe 
this or that doctrine or to worship God 
according to this or that form. 

The celebrated John Locke, in his 
" Essay on Toleration," says: "The 
Baptists were, from the first, the friends 
of liberty, just and true liberty, equal and 
impartial liberty." 

Bancroft, the American historian, says : 
" Freedom of conscience, unlimited free- 
dom of mind was, from the first, the tro- 
phy of the Baptists." — History United 
States, Vol. II., pp. 66, 67. 

The first modern treatise ever written 
upon religious liberty was by Leonard 
Busher, a Baptist, in 161 4. Its title is 
" Religious Peace, or a Plea for Liberty 
of Conscience." It asks full liberty for 
men to worship God in the manner they 
believe to be right. Three years before 
that the " Baptist Confession of Faith," 
then published, used this language : 
" We believe that the magistrate is not 
to meddle with religion or matters of 



37 

conscience, nor compel men to this or 
that form of religion, because Christ is 
the King and Lawgiver of the church 
and the conscience." 

The honor of being the first advocate 
of religious liberty has been claimed for 
Jeremy Taylor. This claim is not sup- 
ported ; for, in the first place, his plea is 
only for toleration of a few Christian 
sects, which falls far short of religious 
freedom ; and, moreover, his treatise was 
issued nearly forty years after that of 
Leonard Busher. 

This principle is so manifestly reason- 
able and right and in accordance with 
truth and equity that it would be super- 
fluous to enter into an argumentative de- 
fense of it. How surprising that the 
opposite principle of intolerance and per- 
secution — a principle so unreasonable, 
unjust, unscriptural, and thoroughly bad 
— should have survived so long ! 

The name of Roger Williams being 
inseparable connected with the cause of 
religious liberty, we cannot pass it over 
in silence. It is a name on which rests 
imperishable honor. He was the first 



38 

advocate of soul liberty in America. For 
this cause he was banished from the col- 
ony of Massachusetts, in 1635, by the 
very men who had fled from their own 
land to find religious freedom. There 
is no exhibition of moral heroism in 
the history of the American continent 
grander than that which is presented by 
Roger Williams going into exile among 
savage Indians and enduring all the 
hardships of banishment in mid-winter 
on account of principle ; and under such 
circumstances founding a commonwealth 
the law of which should be perfect tol- 
eration — a commonwealth where, in the 
language of Judge Storey, " we read, for 
the first time since Christianity ascended 
the throne of the Caesars, the declaration 
' that conscience should be free, and men 
should not be punished for worshiping 
God in the way they were persuaded he 
required.' " — Roger Williams and the 
Baptists, by Dr. Eddy. 

Baptists, though often suffering perse- 
cution from both Papists and Protestants, 
have never persecuted, have never exer- 
cised intolerance toward others. It has 



39 

been said that the reason of this is that 
they never had the power. This asser- 
tion is false, as might be shown by sev- 
eral references. Take one instance : 

The colony of Rhode Island was 
founded under Baptist auspices. Had 
Williams and his people chosen to es- 
tablish the Baptist faith as the religion 
of the land they might have done so. 
Had they desired to secure to themselves 
peculiar religious privileges and monopo- 
lies, and to oppress those who dissented 
from them they might have done so. On 
the contrary, perfect religious freedom 
for all was secured by their laws from the 
first.' 

But the principles of Baptists render it 
impossible that they should persecute. 
Their views of the individuality of relig- 
ion and the spirituality of Christ's king- 
dom forbid that they should coerce men 
in matters of faith. If they did so they 
would cease to be Baptists. They in 
themselves have been no better than the 
men of their time. Their clearer views 
must have been due to their interpreta- 
tion of Scripture. 



40 

VII 

Baptism: the Design 

As regards baptism, we believe that 
the main thing is the object or design. 
What is the principle which underlies 
the ordinance ? This is the first and vital 
point. If this is not scriptural the most 
orthodox form of administration is vain. 

Evidently the Scriptures teach, in all 
their references to the subject, that bap- 
tism is the conscious, voluntary, delib- 
erate act of a believer in Christ, because 
he is a believer, and because Christ re- 
quires this public acknowledgment from 
all his true disciples. The Bible does 
not teach that baptism is something done 
for a person without his knowledge or 
forced upon him without his consent. 
Nor is it something that he observes be- 
cause it is customary, or as a mere out- 
ward form. Nor is it a sacrament for 
the purpose of obtaining salvation, nor a 
mechanical process by which Christians 
are made. But it is the conscious, will- 
ing profession of personal faith in the 



4i 

Lord Jesus Christ and of surrender to 
him. The believer thus declares, in the 
way appointed by the Redeemer himself 
and enjoined on all his followers, that he 
now trusts in Christ and gratefully ac- 
cepts him as his all-sufficient Saviour 
and rightful King, and gladly becomes 
his disciple and follower. The act ex- 
presses the Christian's faith in the two 
greatest facts of redemption, the death 
and resurrection of Christ, and also sym- 
bolizes his own death to sin and his ris- 
ing to the new life. 

We believe that this is the meaning 
and design of baptism, according to the 
word of God, It is either expressly 
taught or implied in every passage where 
the ordinance is mentioned. It does not 
mean any more : as for instance, regen- 
eration, or deliverance from sin, or a 
passport to heaven. It does not mean 
any less : as, for instance, joining the 
church, or receiving a Christian name, or 
showing respect for religion, or conform- 
ing to a custom. It means just what we 
have said, death on the one side and a 
new life on the other. 



42 



VIII 

Baptism: the Subjects 

This has been partly anticipated in 
what has been said in the foregoing sec- 
tion concerning the design of baptism. 

Baptists hold that believers only are fit 
subjects for baptism. This, they believe, 
is abundantly proved by the positive pre- 
cepts of the word of God and by the prin- 
ciple of Christ's kingdom. Let us look 
at the teachings of Scripture. There is 
not a passage in the Bible where we are 
told that an infant was baptized ; there is 
not a command in the whole book to 
baptize infants. 

Belief is always the expressly enjoined 
prerequisite. Take the Commission, as 
recorded by Matthew (28 : 19, 20) : u Go 
ye, therefore, and teach (disciple) all na- 
tions, baptizing them in the name of the 
Father and of the Son and of the Holy 
Ghost ; teaching them to observe all 
things whatsoever I have commanded 
you." Notice here first the order of the 
words : (1) Disciple ; (2) Baptize ; (3) 



43 

Teach. This order must be significant and 
important. To affirm the contrary is to 
charge the Saviour with using indefinite 
and random speech in one of the most 
notable utterances which ever fell from 
his lips. We learn, then, that the first 
thing is to make disciples, then to bap- 
tize them, then to instruct them in the 
command of Christ. If it is asked, how 
are the servants of Christ to make disci- 
ples ? we answer, by preaching the glad 
tidings to sinners. Those who truly be- 
lieve the good news and heartily accept 
the proffered salvation become disciples. 
Notice, secondly, the tense of the parti- 
ciple. It is not baptisantes, having bap- 
tized, but baptizontes, baptizing. Note, 
in the third place, the gender of the pro- 
noun, autotts, which refers directly to 
disciples (understood) and cannot refer to 
nations. It was disciples they were to 
baptize. 

But it has sometimes been said that 
the passage means they were to make 
disciples by baptizing them. This inter- 
pretation, besides teaching a most un- 
scriptural doctrine, and being utterly un- 



44 

supported, is forbidden by John 4:1, 
where it is said that the Pharisees heard 
" that Jesus made and baptized more dis- 
ciples than John." The making of the 
disciples and the baptizing of them are 
here clearly distinguished. 

If we turn to the Commission, as re- 
corded by Mark 16 : 15, 16, the same 
doctrine of believer's baptism is clearly 
taught : " Preach the gospel to every 
creature ; he that believeth and is bap- 
tized shall be saved." Here is the same 
order : (1) Belief ; (2) Baptism. 

" Then they that gladly received his 
word were baptized " (Acts 2 : 41). 

" But when they believed Philip, 
preaching the things concerning the 
kingdom of God and the name of Jesus 
Christ, they were baptized, both men and 
women" (Acts 8 : 12). 

" Then answered Peter, can any man 
forbid water, that these should not be 
baptized, which have received the Holy 
Ghost as well as we? " (Acts 10 : 46, 47.) 

" And many of the Corinthians hear- 
ing, believed and were baptized " (Acts 
18 : 8). 



45 

The baptism of the households of Lyd- 
ia and the Philippian jailer is not at all 
at variance with the doctrine of believ- 
er's baptism. For in the case of Lydia 
we learn that she was " of the city of 
Thyatira," in Asia Minor, far distant 
from Philippi, where she was converted ; 
and that she was "a seller of purple," 
probably a traveling merchant. Is it 
likely that her household included in- 
fants ? 

Says De Wette : " There is nothing 
here which shows that any except adults 
were baptized.'' Meyer says : " When 
Jewish or heathen families became Chris- 
tians, the children in them could have 
been baptized only in cases in which 
they were so far developed that they 
could profess their faith in Christ, and 
did actually profess it ; for this was the 
universal requisition for the reception of 
baptism. On the contrary, if the chil- 
dren were still unable to believe they did 
not partake of the rite, since they were 
wanting in what the act presupposed." 
Olshausen says : " Since a profession of 
faith preceded baptism it is improbable 



4 6 

in the highest degree that, by 'her 
household/ children of an immature age 
are to be understood." These three etni- 
ment German commentators are Pedo- 
baptists. 

In the case of the jailer, we are ex- 
pressly told that Paul and Silas " spake 
unto him the word of the L,ord, and to 
all that were in his house " ; and after- 
ward we read that he u rejoiced, believing 
in God with all his house." 

Let us now hear what ecclesiastical 
historians and other eminent Christian 
scholars have to say on this subject, es- 
pecially in reference to the practice of the 
early church. Since none of us knows, 
from his own personal knowledge, what 
have been the belief and practice of 
Christians in former ages, we must ap- 
peal to history and call for the testimony 
of those who have made these subjects 
their special study. And that these may 
be reliable, they must be men whose 
ability, learning, and opportunities for 
investigation were of the highest order, 
whose testimony is irrefragable, and 
whose works have become standard au- 



47 

thorities throughout Christendom. In 
order that our witnesses may be entirely 
free from suspicion of partiality we will 
not summon a single Baptist to the wit- 
ness stand. 

Dr. Augustus Neander, one of the 
most eminent church historians, a name 
of world-wide reputation, says : " Bap- 
tism was administered at first only to 
adults, as men were accustomed to con- 
ceive baptism and faith as strictly con- 
nected. We have all reason for not 
deriving infant baptism from apostolic 
institution/' — Ecclesiastical History, Vol 
L, p. 311, Am. ed. 

Again he says : " As baptism was 
closely united with a conscious entrance 
on Christian communion, faith and bap- 
tism were always connected with one 
another, and thus it is in the highest 
degree probable that baptism was per- 
formed only in the instances where both 
could meet together, and that the prac- 
tice of infant baptism was unknown at 
this period." — Planting and Training of 
the Christian Church, pp. 161, 162. 

Curcellseus (died 1659), an eminently 



48 

learned man, published a critical edition 
of the Greek Testament. " The baptism 
of infants in the first two centuries after 
Christ was altogether unknown, but in 
the third century was allowed by some 
few. In the fifth and following ages it 
was generally received. The custom of 
baptizing infants did not begin before 
the third age after Christ was born." — 
Inst. Rel Ck., Lib. L, Chap. XII. 

Professor Jacobi, University of Berlin : 
" Infant baptism was established neither 
by Christ nor the apostles. In all places 
where we find the necessity of baptism 
notified, either in a dogmatic or historic 
cal point of view, it is evident that it was 
only meant for those who were capable 
of comprehending the word preached 
and of being converted to Christ by an 
act of their own will." — Kittens Cy elope- 
dia of Biblical Literature, Vol. I., p. 287. 

Baron Bunsen, Prussian Ambassador 
at the British Court for many years, a 
deeply learned man and voluminous 
writer on ecclesiastical subjects : " Pedo- 
baptism, in the modern sense, meaning 
thereby the baptism of new-born infants, 



49 

with the vicarious promises of parents and 
sponsors, was utterly unknown to the 
early church, not only down to the end 
of the second, but, indeed, to the middle 
of the third century." — Hippolytus, Vol. 
III., p. 1 80. 

Prof. Moses Stuart, d. d., Andover 
Theological Seminary : " Commands or 
plain and certain examples in the New 
Testament relative to it (infant baptism) 
I do not find." — Biblical Repository, 1883, 

P- 365- 

Rev. Dr. J. P. Lange, the eminent 

German commentator : " All attempts to 
make out infant baptism from the New 
Testament fail. It is totally opposed to 
the spirit of the apostolic age and to the 
fundamental principles of the New Tes- 
tament." — Infant Baptism, p. 101. 

The " North British Review " is a pub- 
lication of the highest standing. The ar- 
ticle from which we quote is attributed 
to Dr. Hanna, of Edinburgh : " Scrip- 
ture knows nothing of infant baptism. 
There is absolutely not a single trace of 
it to be found in the New Testament. 
There are passages which may be recon- 



So 

ciled with it if the practice can only be 
proved to have existed, but there is not 
one word which asserts its existence'' 
{July, 1852, pp. 209-212). 

The eminent Dean Stanley, of West- 
minster, than whom there is probably no 
higher authority on questions of Oriental 
ecclesiastical history, contributed an ar- 
ticle on "Baptism" to the "Nineteenth 
Century Review " in 1879. He first 
shows what baptism was in the primitive 
churches, viz., the immersion of a be- 
liever, as a voluntary profession of per- 
sonal faith in Christ. He then proceeds 
to point out the changes which have 
since been introduced. The third change 
noticed is that which refers to the subjects 
of baptism. Under this head he says : 
"Another change is not so complete (as 
that from immersion to sprinkling), but 
it is perhaps more important. In the 
apostolic age and in the three centuries 
which followed, it is evident that, as a 
general rule, those who came to baptism 
came in full age, of their own deliberate 
choice. We find a few cases of the bap- 
tism of children ; in the third century 



5* 

we find one case of the baptism of infants. 
The liturgical service of baptism was 
framed entirely for full-grown converts, 
and is only by considerable adaptation 
applied to the case of infants." 

This testimony might be extended al- 
most indefinitely, plain statements to pre- 
cisely the same effect having been made 
by very many of the highest authorities 
in church history and Scripture interpre- 
tation, among whom may be specified 
Laither, Erasmus, Limborch, Schleier- 
macher, Gieseler, L,ange, Hagenbach, 
D'Aubigne, Hodge, Stewart, and Woods. 
This evidence is furnished by men whose 
denominational position and sentiments 
would naturally prejudice them against 
such views and prevent their making 
such concessions, unless truth absolutely 
required it. To suppose that their state- 
ments are unreliable is to turn all his- 
tory into fiction. If then this evidence 
so clear, so concurrent, so abundant, is 
true and infant baptism was not insti- 
tuted by Christ or the apostles, the ques- 
tion naturally arises, whence and under 
what circumstances did it come? 



52 

Its origin is plain. Error in doctrine 
preceded and gave birth to it. No one 
who carefnlly reads the apostolic Epis- 
tles can fail to notice, by the statements 
made and the warnings given, that error 
in doctrine and practice was even then 
beginning to creep into the churches ; 
and the apostles expressly declared that 
this should be the case more fully after- 
ward. Now, if we turn to the writings 
of the " Fathers, " as they are called, — 
that is, those who lived during the first 
few centuries after Christ, — we find that 
one of the earliest and most pernicious 
errors which developed itself was the 
doctrine that baptism saves the soul, and 
that salvation is impossible without it. 
All the evidence needed on this point is 
a reference to the writings of some of the 
" Fathers.' ' Cyprian, Ambrose, Chrysos- 
tom, and others, speak in the most ex- 
travagant terms of the benefits and mi- 
raculous effects of baptism. They taught 
that all who died unbaptized must in- 
evitably be lost. It is easy to see what 
such a doctrine would lead to. How 
could parents endure the thought of their 



53 

dying children sinking to perdition when 
it was in their power to save them by 
having them baptized? Claudius Sal- 
masius, who filled a professorship at the 
University of Leyden, in 1632, says : 
" An opinion prevailed that no one could 
be saved without being baptized, and for 
that reason the custom arose of baptizing 
infants." First the design of the ordi- 
nance was corrupted and that led to un- 
scriptural practice. Many authorities 
might be cited to show that this was the 
true historic origin of infant baptism. 
The doctrine of baptismal regeneration 
and that of infant baptism were closely 
connected then ; have they ever been 
clearly separated, or can they be ? 

Another clew to the practice of primi- 
tive times is found in the adult baptism 
of several of the distinguished theolo- 
gians and preachers of those days, al- 
though their parents were Christians of 
unquestioned intelligence and piety. 

Gregory Nazianzen, Archbishop of 
Constantinople, who died A. D. 389, and 
whose father was bishop of Nazianzen, 
was not baptized till he was nearly thirty 



54 

years old. — Ullman^s Gregory of Nazian- 
zen. 

Ephrem, of Edessa, a learned writer 
(died A. d. 378), was born of parents who 
" were ennobled by the blood of martyrs 
in their family and had themselves both 
confessed Christ before the persecutors 
under Diocletian or his successors. They 
consecrated Ephrem to God from his 
cradle, like another Samuel, but he was 
eighteen years old when he was bap- 
tized." — Alban Butlers Lives of the 
Saints. 

We learn from ecclesiastical history 
that Basil of Csesarea (a. d. 350), though 
he could boast of Christian ancestry for 
several generations, was not baptized till 
he was twenty-seven years old. . Chrysos- 
tom (died A. D. 407), the golden-mouthed 
preacher, archbishop of Constantinople, 
and born of Christian parents, received 
baptism at the age of twenty-eight. Am- 
brosius, bishop of Milan, was a citizen of 
Rome, but born in France A. D. 340. He 
received a religious education and was 
reared in the habits of virtuous conduct ; 
but he was not baptized till he had 



55 

reached the age of thirty-four. Augus- 
tine was not baptized until he was nearly 
twenty-five years of age, though his 
mother, Monica, was a woman of great 
piety and instructed him carefully in the 
principles of the Christian religion. Je- 
rome was baptized at the age of thirty- 
one. The Emperor Theodosius was bap- 
tized in the thirty-fourth or thirty-fifth 
year of his age, though he had been 
trained up from his childhood in the 
Christian faith. Kow strange that these 
persons were not baptized in their in- 
fancy ! Evidently the erroneous practice 
had not yet become very general. 

It is not to be wondered at that Bap- 
tists cannot find authority in the word of 
God for infant baptism, when its advo- 
cates are so divided in opinion in refer- 
ence to it. Some of its ablest defenders 
point to the Abrahamic covenant as con- 
taining the main strength of the scrip- 
tural argument in its favor. Other 
equally high authorities declare that the 
Abrahamic covenant furnishes no ground 
for infant baptism. Some denominations 
baptize infants in order to bring them 



56 

into the church ; others baptize them 
because they are already in. There is a 
perfect chaos of opinion in regard to it. 
The reasons alleged for its observance 
are wondrously diverse. 

Among the far-fetched, irrelevant, and 
contradictory reasons put forth by its 
advocates, perhaps the most unique is the 
following : Infants ought to be baptized 
because the command to do so may have 
been among the parchments which Paul 
left at Troas ! Where, w r e ask, is a " thus 
saith the Lord"? Its advocates admit 
that Christian baptism is a New Testa- 
ment ordinance. We ask, therefore, New 
Testament authority for its application 
to infants ; but instead of that we gen- 
erally have a long, labored, involved, and 
inconclusive argument from the Old 
Testament. 

We are told that baptism came in place 
of circumcision, and therefore ought to 
be administered to infants, as that Jew- 
ish rite was. We reply : If that is the 
case is it not most unaccountably strange 
that " the apostles and elders and breth- 
ren " at Jerusalem did not say so, when 



57 

this very question of circumcision came 
before them ? The converts at Antioch 
had been taught by some that circumci- 
sion was still binding, and that it was 
necessary for them to observe it. How 
easy, then, for the council at Jerusalem 
to have settled the whole difficulty by 
simply saying that baptism had taken 
the place of circumcision, and that there- 
fore it was unnecessary longer to observe 
the old ordinance. But do we find the 
remotest shadow of a hint of any such 
doctrine in the utterances of that body ? 
Certainly not. This silence is inexplica- 
ble if the above view was then held. 

If baptism came in the place of cir- 
cumcision evidently the Jewish Chris- 
tians did not know it, for some of them 
taught that it was necessary to observe 
both rites. 

If baptism came in place of circum- 
cision, then, to carry out the analogy, it 
ought to be administered only to males 
(Gen. 17 : 10) ; and a man's slaves or serv- 
ants ought to be included as well as his 
offspring (Gen. 17 : 23, 27) ; and, more- 
over, those who are baptized ought to be 



5* 

admitted to the Lord's Supper as the 
circumcised were to the Passover (Exod. 
12 : 4). 

Then if infant baptism is not scriptural, 
why observe it? "Oh," says one, "my 
child might die and I would be very 
sorry to have it die unbaptized." Ah, it 
is baptized in order to make sure of its 
salvation. Then it is baptism that saves 
the soul, and the death of Christ was 
needless. The application of water to 
the body will cleanse and sanctify the 
soul. But it may be said, " the death of 
Christ and baptism together will save it." 
Then Christ's sacrifice was insufficient 
and needs to be supplemented by some- 
thing to make its virtue complete. When 
he died he cried "It is finished," and we 
believe that redemption was then per- 
fected. 

But another says : "We must baptize 
our children to bring them into the 
Christian fold." Then baptism is the 
"door." Where in the holy book is it 
spoken of as such ? Christ says : "I am 
the door ; by me if any man enter in he 
shall be saved." But does baptism really 



59 

bring them into the fold? Do their 
lives prove that they love the Shepherd 
and hear his voice? Do they grow up 
holier than the children of Baptists ? 

But it may be urged by another that 
" Christ said, Suffer little children to 
come unto me." Did he say " Suffer 
them to be baptized " ? Baptists bring 
their children to Christ, and ask him to 
bless them, as those mothers did when 
he was on earth. We believe that it is 
the duty of every parent to train up his 
children in the nurture and admonition 
of the Lord, and really to bring them to 
Christ by leading them to exercise a liv- 
ing faith in him and become his true 
followers. 

But still another may thoughtlessly 
say : " Oh ! we must have our children 
baptized in order to give them a name." 
In what part of the Bible is the giving 
of a name connected with baptism ? Do 
not the children of Baptists have names? 

Dr. Lange, already quoted, says : 
11 Would the Protestant church fulfill and 
attain to its final destiny, the baptism of 
new-born children must of necessity be 



6o 

abolished. It has sunk down to a mere 
formality, without any meaning for the 
child. " — History of Protestantism, p. 34. 



IX 

Baptism: the Mode 

Baptists hold that scriptural Christian 
baptism is the immersion of a believer 
in water, in the name of the Father, Son, 
and Holy Spirit. This they believe the 
word of God plainly teaches. 

" Then went out to him Jerusalem, and 
all Judea, and all the region round about 
Jordan, and were baptized of him in 
Jordan, confessing their sins " (Matt. 3 : 

5, 6). 

" And were all baptized of him in the 
river of Jordan,' ' etc. (Mark 1 : 5). 

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, 
went up straightway out of the water " 
(Matt. 3 : 16). 

"And it came to pass in those days 
that Jesus came from Nazareth of Gali- 
lee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 



6i 

And straightway coming up out of the 
water, " etc. (Mark i : 9, 10). 

" And John also was baptizing in 
Enon near to Salim, because there was 
much water there " (John 3:23). 

" And they went down both into the 
water, both Philip and the eunuch ; and 
he baptized him. And when they were 
come up out of the water," etc. (Acts 8 : 

38, 39). 

u Therefore we are buried with him by 
baptism into death: that like as Christ 
was raised up from the dead by the glory 
of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in newness of life " (Rom. 6 : 4). 

" Buried with him in baptism, wherein 
also ye are risen with him through the 
faith of the operation of God, who hath 
raised him from the dead " (Col. 2:12). 

It is clear that they went down into 
the water, and came up out of the water ; 
but wha: was the act performed while 
they were there ? This is the point at 
issue. The act is always expressed by a 
certain word, in one or other of its forms. 

The unvarying use of this one word is 
very significant. If mode is a matter of 



62 

indifference, why is one, distinct, definite 
term always employed ? If a variety of 
modes was intended, why do we not find 
a variety of terms used ? There was no 
poverty of words or forms of expression, 
for the Greek was a remarkably rich and 
copious language. There were rantizo, 
to sprinkle ; keo, to pour ; louo, to wash, 
and other w r ords to express the various 
ways in which water could be applied to 
the person or the person to water. How 
strange that some of these were not occa- 
sionally used by some of the writers in 
the New Testament ! But it is always 
baptizo. Evidently one definite act was 
intended. L,et us then call for evidence 
concerning the meaning of this word ; 
for if we can ascertain that, we shall know 
what Christ and his apostles practised 
and commanded. We turn first to : 

LEXICONS OF THE GREEK LANGUAGE. 

Groves. To dip, immerse, immerge, 
plunge. 

Schreveuus. To merge, to bathe. 

Greenfield. To immerse, immerge 
submerge, sink. 



*3 

Lidded and Scott. To dip in or 
under water ; of ships, to sink them ; 
Baptisis, a dipping ; Baptismos, a dipping 
in water ; Baptistes, one that dips. 

Dawson (enlarged and revised by 
Taylor). To dip, or immerse in water. 

Donnegan, To immerse repeatedly 
into a liquid, to submerge. 

Bass. To dip, immerse, or plunge in 
water. 

Robinson. To dip in, to sink, to im- 
merse ; a frequentative in form, but ap- 
parently not in signification. 

Pickering. To dip, immerse, sub- 
merge, plunge. 

Dunbar. To dip, immerse, submerge, 
plunge, sink. 

Scapula. To dip or immerse ; also to 
dye, as we immerse things for the pur- 
pose of coloring or washing them. 

Bagster. To dip, immerse, to cleanse 
or purify by washing. 

Jones. To plunge, to plunge in water, 
dip, baptize, bury, overwhelm. 

It is needless to extend this list. The 
same meanings are given by Alstidius, 
Bailey, Schoettgenius, Parkhurst, Pasor, 



6 4 

Hedericus, Young, Robertson, Stockius, 
Sophocles, Suidas, Schleusner, Bret- 
schneider, Suicerus, Richardson, and 
others. All agree in giving dip, or im- 
merse, as the ordinary meaning of the 
word. If the Greek lexicon has ever yet 
been published which gives sprinkle as 
the meaning of baptizo, it has been most 
carefully concealed, and kept out of 
reach of those who have investigated 
this question. Writers on the subject 
have sometimes made the assertion that 
such lexicons exist ; but this assertion 
requires to be substantiated, for grave 
doubts rest upon the truth of it. But 
the important fact is that all lexicogra- 
phers of any note are unanimous in their 
definition of the ordinary meaning of the 
word. 

Now let us turn to the 

STANDARD ENCYCLOPEDIAS. 

Encyclopedia Britannic a. " Bap- 
tism is derived from the Greek baptizo, to 
dip or wash. The usual mode of per- 
forming the ceremony was by immersion, 
but the practice of baptism by sprinkling 



65 

gradually came in, in spite of the oppo- 
sition of councils and hostile decrees. 
The Council of Ravenna, A. d. 1311, was 
the first council of the church which le- 
galized baptism by sprinkling, by leaving 
it to the choice of the officiating minis- 
ter^ 

Edinburgh Encyclopedia. " The 
first law for sprinkling was obtained in 
the following manner : Pope Stephen II., 
being driven from Rome by Astolphus, 
king of the Lombards, A. d. 753, fled to 
Pepin, who a short time before had 
usurped the throne of France. While 
he remained there the monks of Cressy, 
in Brittany, consulted him whether, in 
case of necessity, baptism performed by 
pouring water on the head of the infant 
would be lawful, and Stephen replied that 
it would. But though the truth of this 
fact be allowed, — which some Catholics 
deny, — yet pouring and sprinkling were 
only admitted in cases of necessity. It 
was not till 131 1 that the legislature, in 
a council held at Ravenna, declared im- 
mersion to be indifferent. In this coun- 
try (Scotland), however, sprinkling was 



66 

never practised in ordinary cases until 
after the Reformation. And in England, 
even in the reign of Edward VI., im- 
mersion was commonly observed. But 
during the persecution of Mary many 
persons, most of whom were Scotchmen, 
fled from England to Geneva, and there 
gradually imbibed the opinions of that 
church. In 1556 a book was published at 
that place containing the forms of prayers 
and ministrations of sacraments approved 
by that famous and godly and learned 
man, John Calvin, in which the adminis- 
trator is enjoined to take water in his 
hand and lay it on the child's forehead. 
These Scottish exiles, who had renounced 
the authority of the pope, implicitly ac- 
knowledged the authority of Calvin, and 
returning to their own country in 1559, 
with John Knox at their head, established 
sprinkling in Scotland. From Scotland 
this practice made its way into England, 
in the reign of Elizabeth, but was not 
authorized by the Established Church." 

Chambers' Cyclopedia. "It is how- 
ever, indisputable that in the primitive 
church the ordinary mode of baptism 



6 7 

was by immersion, in order to which 
baptisteries began to be erected in the 
third, perhaps in the second century.' 1 
Again, a It was the ordinary practice in 
England, before the Reformation, to 
immerse infants, and the fonts in the 
churches were made large enough for 
this purpose.' ' 

Encyclopedia Americana. " Bap- 
tism, that is, dipping, immersing, from 
the Greek word baptizo. In the time of 
the apostles the form of baptism was 
very simple. The person to be baptized 
was dipped in a river or vessel, with the 
words which Christ had ordered. The 
immersion of the whole body was omit- 
ted only in the case of the sick, who 
could not leave their beds." 

Kitto's Cyclopedia of Biblical 
Literature. "The whole body was 
immersed in water." 

National Cyclopedia. "The man- 
ner in which the rite of baptism was 
performed appears to have been at first 
by complete immersion. It was the prac- 
tice of the English, from the beginning, 
to immerse the whole body." 



68 

Smith's Bible Dictionary. "The 
language of the New Testament, and of 
the primitive fathers, sufficiently points 
to immersion as the common mode of 
baptism " (Vol. I., p. 241). 

CHURCH HISTORIANS. 

Moshkim, Chancellor of the Univer- 
sity of Gottingen in 1755. "In this 
(first) century baptism was adminis- 
tered in convenient places without the 
public assemblies, and by immersing the 
candidates wholly in water." — Ecclesias- 
tical History, Vol. I., p. 104. 

Again he says (second century) : "The 
candidates for it (baptism) were im- 
mersed wholly in water, with invocation 
of the sacred Trinity, according to the 
Saviour's precept " (Vol. I., p. 179). 

Neander, already quoted on another 
subject. " The usual form of submersion 
at baptism, practised by the Jews, was 
passed over to the Gentile Christians. 
Indeed this form was the most suitable to 
signify that Christ intended to render an 
object of contemplation by such a sym- 
bol ; the immersion of the whole man in 



6 9 

the spirit of a new life." — Planting and 
Training of the Christian Church, p. 161. 

Guericke, Henry E. F., Doctor and 
Professor of Theology, of Halle. " Bap- 
tism was originally performed by immer- 
sion in the name of the Trinity. " — An- 
cient Church History, p. 141. 

Venema (seventeenth century). " It 
is without controversy that baptism in the 
primitive church was administered by 
immersion into water, and not by sprin- 
kling. The essential act of baptizing in 
the second century consisted not in 
sprinkling, but in immersion into water, 
in the name of each person of the Trin- 
ity. To the essential rite of baptism in 
the third century pertained immersion 
and not aspersion, except in cases of ne- 
cessity, and it was accounted a half-per- 
fect baptism. Immersion in the fourth 
century was one of those acts that were 
considered as essential to baptism." — Ec- 
clesiastical History, Cent. I., par. 138 ; 
Cent. II., par. 100 ; Cent. III., par. 51 ; 
Cent. IV., paf. 100. 

Kurtz, Professor of Ecclesiastical His- 
tory at Dorpat. " Baptism was adminis- 



7o 

tered by a complete immersion in the 
name of Christ, or the Triune God." — 
Ecclesiastical History, Vol. L, p. jo. 

Schaff, Dr. Phiup, of New York. 
" The usual form of the act was immer- 
sion, as is plain from the original mean- 
ing of the Greek words, from the anal- 
ogy of John's baptism in the Jordan, . . 
and finally from the custom of the an- 
cient church, which prevails in the East 
to this day." — History of Ancient Chris- 
tianity (First Cent), Vol. I., p. 123. 

" Immersion continued to be the usual 
form of baptism, especially in the East." 
— Same work (Fourth Cent.), Vol. II. , p. 
486. 

COMMENTATORS, ETC. 

Reformers. 

Martin Luther, on the Sacrament 
of Baptism (at the beginning). " First, 
the name baptism is Greek ; in Latin it 
can be rendered immersion, when we im- 
merse anything into water, that it may 
be all covered with water. And although 
that custom has now grown out of use 
with most persons (nor do they wholly 



7i 

submerge children, but only pour on a 
little water), yet they ought to be entirely 
immersed, and immediately drawn out, 
For this the etymology of the name 
seems to demand." — Op. Lutheri, 1564, 
Vol. I., folio 319. 

John Calvin. "The word baptize it- 
self signifies immerse, and it is certain 
that the rite of immersing was observed 
by the ancient church." — Institution of 
the Christian Religion, Book IV., Chap. 
XV. 

Zwingll " Into his death ; when ye 
were immersed into the water of baptism 
ye were ingrafted into the death of 
Christ ; that is, the immersion of your 
body into water was a sign that ye ought 
to be ingrafted into Christ and his 
death." — Annotations on Rom. 6 : j, 
Works, Vol. IV., p. 420. 

William Tyndale. h The plunging 
into the water signifieth that we die, and 
are buried with Christ, as concerning the 
old life of sin, which is Adam. And the 
pulling out again signifieth that we rise 
again with Christ in a nev; life, full of 
the Holy Ghost, which si ill teach us 



72 

and guide us, and work the will of God 
in us, as thou seest Rom. 6." — Obedience 
of a Christian Man, edition of 1571, p. 

143- 

Roman Catholic. 

Est, Chancellor of the University of 
Douay. " For immersion represents to us 
Christ's burial, and so also his death. 
For the tomb is the symbol of death, 
since none but the dead are buried. 
Moreover, the emersion, which follows 
the immersion, has a resemblance to a 
resurrection. We are therefore in bap- 
tism conformed not only to the death of 
Christ, as he has just said, but also to his 
burial and resurrection. ' f — Commentary 
on the Epistles, Rom. 6 : j. 

Brenner. " Thirteen hundred years 
was baptism generally and regularly an 
immersion of the person under the water, 
and only in extraordinary cases a sprin- 
kling or pouring with water ; the latter 
was, moreover, disputed as a mode of 
baptism, nay, even forbidden." — His tor- 
ical Exhibition of the Administration of 
Baptism from Christ to our own Times" 
p. 306. 



73 

Bishop Bossuet, of Meaux, France 
(died 1704). "We are able to make it 
appear, by the acts of councils and by 
ancient rituals, that for thirteen hundred 
years baptism was administered by im- 
mersion throughout the whole church, 
as far as possible.' ' 

Episcopalian. 

Archbishop Tillotson. "Anciently, 
those who were baptized were immersed, 
and buried in the water, to represent 
their death to sin, and then did rise up 
out of the water, to signify their entrance 
upon a new life, and to those the apostle 
alludes, Rom. 6 : 4-6." — Sermons, Vol. 
VIL, p. 179. 

Bishop Taylor. " And the ancient 
churches did not, in their baptism, sprin- 
kle water with their hands, but immersed 
the catechumen or the infant." After 
some references in proof of this asser- 
tion he adds : " All which are a perfect 
conviction, that the custom of the ancient 
churches was not sprinkling, but immer- 
sion, in pursuance to the sense of the 
word in the commandment, and the ex- 



74 

ample of our blessed Saviour." — Rule of 
Conscience, Book III., Chap. IV., Rule 

15- 

Dr. Whitby. " It being so expressly 

declared here (Rom. 6 : 4 and Col. 2:12) 
that we are ( buried with Christ in bap- 
tism,' by being buried under water, and 
the argument to oblige us to a conformity 
to his death by dying to sin, being taken 
hence ; and this immersion being re- 
ligiously observed by all Christians for 
thirteen centuries, and approved by our 
church, and the change of it into sprin- 
kling, without either any allowance from 
the author of this institution, or any li- 
cense from any council of the church, it 
were to be wished that this custom might 
be again of general use." — Commentary 
on the New Testament, Rom. 6 : 4. 

CONYBEARB AND HOWSON. "It is 

needless to add that baptism was (unless 
in exceptional cases) administered by 
immersion, the convert being plunged 
beneath the surface of the water, to rep- 
resent his death to the life of sin, and 
then raised from his momentary burial 
to represent his resurrection to the life of 



75 

righteousness. It must be a subject of 
regret that the general discontinuance of 
this original form of baptism (though 
perhaps necessary in our Northern cli- 
mates) has rendered obscure to popular 
apprehension some very important pas- 
sages of Scripture. " — Life and Epistles 
of St. Paul, Vol. L, p. 439. 

Again they say, in a note on the pas- 
sage, " Buried with him by baptism," 
" This passage cannot be understood, un- 
less it be borne in mind that the primi- 
tive baptism was by immersion" (Vol. 
II., p. 169). 

Dr. Cunningham Geikie, author of 
the "Life and Words of Christ," the 
most scholarly work of the kind, says in 
reference to the baptism of Jesus : " John 
resisted no longer, and leading Jesus into 
the stream, the rite was performed. . . 
Holy and pure before sinking under the 
water, he must yet have risen from them 
with the light of a higher glory in his 
countenance. . . Past years had been 
buried in the waters of the Jordan. He 
entered them as Jesus, the Son of Man ; 
he rose from them the Christ of God." 



7 6 

Dr. Eujcott, Bishop of Gloucester 
and Bristol, and President of the New- 
Testament Revision Company in Eng- 
land, and Dr. Pujmptre, Professor of 
Exegesis of the New Testament at 
King's College, London, say in their re- 
cently issued New Testament Commen- 
tary, on Matt. 3:1: " The baptism was, 
as the name implied, an immersion.' y 
On ver. 6 they say : " They came con- 
fessing their sins, i. <?., as the position of 
the word (baptize) implies, in the closest 
possible connection with the act of im- 
mersion." On ver. 11, "He shall bap- 
tize you with the Holy Ghost," etc., they 
say : " As heard and understood at the 
time, the baptism with the Holy Ghost 
would imply that the souls thus bap- 
tized would be plunged, as it were, in 
that creative and informing Spirit which 
was the source of life and holiness and 
wisdom." 

Presbyterian. 

Westminster Assembly oe Divines. 
" In this phrase the apostle seemeth to 
allude to the ancient manner of baptism, 
which was to dip the persons baptized, 



77 

and, as it were, bury them under the 
water for a while, and then to draw them 
out of it and lift them up, to represent 
the burial of our old man and our resur- 
rection to newness of life." — Annotations^ 
published in folio, under the auspices of 
the Assembly ; Annotations on Rom. 6 : 

3, 4- 

Dr. Chalmers. " We doubt not that 

the prevalent style of administration in 
the apostles' days was by an actual sub- 
merging of the whole body under water. 
We advert to this for the purpose of 
throwing light on the analogy that is in- 
stituted in these verses. Jesus Christ by 
death underwent this sort of baptism by 
an immersion under the surface of the 
ground, whence he soon emerged again 
by his resurrection. We, by being bap- 
tized into his death, are conceived to 
have made a similar translation, in the 
act of descending under the water of 
baptism, to have resigned an old life, and 
in the act of ascending to emerge into a 
second or a new life. :? — Lectures on the 
Epistles to the Romans, on 6 : j, 4. 
Dr. George Campbeix, President of 



7 8 

Marischal College, Aberdeen. " The word 
baptizein, both in sacred authors and in 
classical, signifies ' to dip,' ( to plunge,' 
c to immerse,' and was rendered by Ter- 
tullian, the oldest of the Latin fathers, 
tingere, the term used for dyeing cloth, 
which was by immersion. It is always 
construed suitably to this meaning."— 
Translation of the Gospels, Matt, j : n. 
This same writer says : " I have heard 
a disputant, in defiance of etymology 
and use, maintain that the word rendered 
in the New Testament, baptize, means 
more properly to sprinkle than to plunge, 
and in defiance of all antiquity that the 
former method was the earliest, and 
for many centuries the most general 
practice of baptizing. One who argues 
in this manner never fails, with persons 
of knowledge, to betray the cause he 
would defend ; and though with respect 
to the vulgar, bold assertions generally 
succeed as well as arguments, sometimes 
better, yet a candid mind will disdain to 
take help of a falsehood, even in support 
of the truth." — Lectures on Systematic 
Theology \ p. 480. 






79 



Wesleyan. 

John Wesley. " ( Buried with him by 
baptism/ alluding to the ancient man- 
ner of baptizing by immersion." — Com- 
ment 071 Rom, 6 : 4. 

Dr. Adam Clarke. " { We are buried 
with him by baptism into death.' It is 
probable that the apostle here alludes to 
the mode of administering baptism by 
immersion, the whole body being put 
under the water, which seemed to say, 
the man is drowned, is dead ; and when 
he came up out of the water, he seemed 
to have a resurrection to life ; the man is 
risen again ; he is alive ! " — Comment on 
Rom. 6 : 4. 

Again, on the passage, " baptized for 
the dead," he says : " But as they receive 
baptism as an emblem of death, in vol- 
untarily going under the water, so they 
receive it as an emblem of the resurrec- 
tion unto eternal life, in coming up out 
of the water ; thus they are baptized for 
the dead in perfect faith of the resurrec- 
tion.' ' — Comment on 1 Cor. 15 : 29. 

The above are but a few of the ex- 



8o 

tracts of similar import which might be 
given. All the great German commen- 
tators and critics, such as Tholuck, 
Meyer, Gesenius, De Wette, Bretschnei- 
der, Fritsche, Winer, Rheinwald, Hahn, 
etc., have said the same thing, as also 
Bloomfield, Doddridge, Iyightfoot, Moses 
Stuart, Wall, Baxter, Whitefield, Tower- 
son, and many more. Volumes might 
be filled with such quotations stating, 
not in ambiguous or equivocal lan- 
guage, but in the plainest, most unquali- 
fied terms, that baptism, as instituted 
and practised by Christ and the apostles, 
and continued for centuries, was immer- 
sion, and that only. The man who 
stands up in these days to defend sprin- 
kling or pouring as the primitive mode 
of baptism, has all the learned Christian 
world against him. 

It is sometimes said, when we cite the 
published utterances of eminent biblical 
scholars of different denominations in 
support of our views, that we build our 
faith and practice more on the words of 
men than on the word of God. This is 
false. We build our faith and practice 



8i 

on nothing but the word of God. And 
we make such quotations only to show 
that the highest authorities in ecclesias- 
tical history and Scripture interpretation 
in all communions have really taken the 
same views of God's word which we do, 
whatever their practice may have been. 
Thus the doctrines which we hold be- 
cause we believe them to be God's truth, 
are supported by the ancient history and 
the scholarship of Christendom. 

But it is said, " Why quote such utter- 
ances, when it is well known that many 
of the men who made them held at the 
same time the faith and practice of the 
denominations to which they belonged?" 
We reply that with that we have nothing 
to do. To their own Master they stand 
or fall. Whether they taught and prac- 
tised contrary to their convictions of 
truth is not for us to inquire. The fact 
remains that they unanimously admit the 
truth and scripturalness and antiquity of 
those very doctrines and practices which 
we believe the divine oracles plainly 
teach. But why did they make such ad- 
missions ? Genuine scholarship and a 



8 4 

Church still rigidly adheres; and the 
most illustrious and venerable portion 
of it, that of the Byzantine Empire, 
absolutely repudiates and ignores any 
other mode of administration as essen- 
tially invalid. The Latin Church has 
wholly altered the mode, and with the 
two exceptions of the cathedral of 
Milan, and the sect of the Baptists, a 
few drops of w 7 ater are now the Western 
substitute for the three-fold plunge into 
the rushing rivers, or the wide baptis- 
teries of the East." — Lectures on the 
History of the Eastern Church, p. 29. 

Alexander dk Stourdza (of the 
Greek Church), Russian State Councillor, 
says : " The distinctive characteristic of 
the institution of baptism is immersion, 
baptisnia, which cannot be omitted with- 
out destroying the mysterious sense of 
the sacrament, and contradicting at the 
same time the etymological signification 
of the word, which serves to designate it. 
The church of the West has, then, de- 
parted from the example of Jesus Christ ; 
she has obliterated the whole sublimity 
of the exterior sign ; in short, she com- 



85 

mits an abuse of words and of ideas in 
practising baptism by aspersion, this very 
term being in itself a derisive contradic- 
tion. The verb baptizo, immergo, has in 
fact, but one sole acceptation. It signi- 
fies literally, and always, to plunge. 
Baptism and immersion are therefore 
identical, and to say baptism by asper- 
sion, is as if one should say immersion 
by aspersion, or any other absurdity of 
the same nature." — Considerations on the 
Doctrine and Spirit of the Orthodox 
Church, Stuttgart, 1816, p. 87. 

Professor Timayenis, of the New 
York Hellenic Institute, delivered a lec- 
ture on " Greece " before a large non-de- 
nominational assembly at Chautauqua, in 
August, 1879. He is a native Greek, 
born in Smyrna, educated in the schools 
of Athens, and a member of the Greek 
Church. 

After discussing a number of interest- 
ing questions concerning his country, he 
said : " The Bible is the book of Greece. 
It needs not translation with the modern 
Greeks.' ' And again : " All our services 
are read in the original tongue in which 



86 

St. Paul and the other apostles wrote 
their Epistles." 

Further on he says : " The Greeks 
baptize, of course. The baptism of their 
infants takes place at six months after 
birth. If the child is going to die they 
believe it must be baptized at once. I 
am not able to say whether they believe 
the child will go to Paradise or not, but 
there is a great horror of having a child 
die without baptism. They baptize in 
the real way. The word bapto means 
nothing but immerse in the water. Bap- 
tism means nothing but immersion. In 
the Greek language we have a different 
word for sprinkling. When you put a 
piece of wood into the water, and cover 
it entirely, you baptize, you do what is 
expressed by the Greek word bapto. I 
am ready to discuss this with any divine 
about the Greek word. Sprinkling is 
not what the Bible teaches ; that is a fact 
you may depend on. I know that this 
custom is too deeply rooted in some con- 
gregations to be taken away easily, but 
the Baptists have the best of you on this 
point. . . That is the word we use, to 



87 

dip; you cannot go back on it. It is 
our every-day word. So if I dip a man I 
baptize him. I say you must cover some- 
body entirely with water to use baptize 
as the Greeks use it to-day." 

This clear and decisive statement by 
one who speaks the language in which 
the New Testament was written, is con- 
firmed by Rev. D. Z. Sakellarios, of 
Athens, in a letter to the author, dated 
June 25, 1 88 1. He also is a native 
Greek, brought up in the Greek Church. 
He says : " The true meaning of the 
word baptizo is expressed by the word it- 
self. Rantizo means to sprinkle; louo, 
to wash ; epikeo, to pour upon. Bapto, 
or baptizo, means to immerse or bap- 
tize." He also states that baptism in the 
Greek Church is always by immersion, 
the font being called a kolumbethra, lit- 
erally a swimming bath. 

The Greek Church then, numbering 
about ninety-seven million four hundred 
and seventy-three thousand, and the Nes- 
torians, Maronites, Copts, Armenians, 
Jacobite-Syrians, Abyssinians, and other 
Oriental Christian sects to the number of 



ss 

about nine or ten millions more, making 
together over one hundred millions, have 
from the first, and still do practise im- 
mersion in baptism. That is, according 
to Dr. Wall, Dean Stanley, and others, 
all Christians in the world except the 
Church of Rome, and those who came 
out from her at the Reformation, retain 
the original mode of baptism. 

BAPTISTERIES. 

We will now turn to another class of 
witnesses, by no means the least interest- 
ing and satisfactory. Their testimony is 
a silent one, but most convincing. I 
refer to the ancient baptisteries. 

The most ancient one is found in the 
Catacomb of San Ponziano at Rome. It 
was in those subterranean passages and 
chambers that the early Christians of that 
city sought refuge during the dark days 
of pagan persecution. Here they lived 
and worshiped and were buried. And 
here they constructed baptisteries for 
the administration of the sacred rite. 
Through the Catacomb of San Ponziano 
a stream of water runs, the channel of 



8 9 

which is diverted into a reservoir, which 
was used for administering baptism by 
immersion from the first to the fourth 
century. The dimensions of the reser- 
voir, which is still full of water, are four 
and a half feet in length, three and a 
half in width, and three and a half in 
depth. (See Northcote's Roman Cata- 
combs, and Archeology of Baptism, by 
Dr. Cote, of Rome.) 

On the wall immediately above this 
font is a fresco painting representing the 
baptism of our Saviour. The following 
explanation of the painting is from Bot- 
tari's "Roma Sotterranea" Tomol., p. 194: 
" Upon the wall, over the arch, the Re- 
deemer is represented up to his waist in the 
waters of the river Jordan, and upon his 
head rests the right hand of John the Bap- 
tist, standing on the shore. It is by mis- 
take that modern artists represent Christ 
in the Jordan up to his knees only, and 
John pouring water on his head. And 
although on the portico of the church 
of San Lorenzo, outside of the wall of 
Rome, that saint is seen in a painting 
pouring water upon the head of San Ro- 



9° 

mano, this was certainly not the case, as 
that picture is far more modern (twelfth 
century) than those of the first centuries, 
and the artist was evidently ignorant or 
wrongly informed concerning the acts of 
San Lorenzo. It is not improbable, how- 
ever, that subsequently it became custom- 
ary to pour water upon the head of the 
catechumen after he had been immersed. 
On the other shore an angel is seen upon 
a cloud, holding the Saviour's robe ; the 
Holy Ghost descends like a dove and 
alights upon the Redeemer. John places 
his hand upon the head of Christ to im- 
merse him." 

A relic of this kind is of special impor- 
tance from the fact that the Christians 
who worshiped in the Catacombs were, 
in purity of doctrine and practice, near- 
est to the churches of the apostolic age. 
This baptistery and painting in the Cata- 
comb of San Ponziano carry us back 
almost to the time of the apostles. 

There are at this day at least sixty- 
three ancient baptisteries existing in dif- 
ferent parts of Italy, which many trav- 
elers have examined and described. 



9i 

One of the most notable is the baptis- 
tery of Constantine, at Rome. It is in 
connection with the famous church of St. 
John of Lateran, the oldest, and in some 
respects the most sacred of all the 
churches of Rome; the "omnium urbis et 
orb is ecclesiarum mater et caput" This 
baptistery I myself saw and examined in 
the month of February, 1876. It belongs 
to the fourth century. The building 
stands at a little distance from the 
church, is octagonal in form, and very 
highly embellished. In the center is a 
circular basin, twenty-five feet in diam- 
eter and three feet deep, lined and paved 
with marble. A descent of three steps 
leads to the bottom of the basin, which 
is provided with a small outlet for the 
purpose of emptying it after the cere- 
mony had been performed. The water 
was conducted to the basin from the ad- 
joining Claudian aqueduct, the remains 
of which are still standing. On the archi- 
trave, supported by the columns of por- 
phyry which surround the basin, is a 
long Latin inscription, which clearly 
shows what its use was in former ages. 



9 2 

References to this interesting relic, and 
to its use for immersion, are found in 
the works of ancient Italian authors. 

We might go on for hours describing 
the baptisteries of Rome, Naples, Milan, 
Florence, Pisa, Ravenna, etc. Such 
structures are to be found in all the 
principal cities of Italy. But the de- 
scription given above will suffice to give 
a general idea of all. One main feature 
exists in them all, viz., the large basin, 
three or four feet deep, with steps de- 
scending into it. There they stand, as 
they have stood for many centuries, si- 
lent, yet unanswerable witnesses to the 
practice of Christians in the early ages. 

Remains of the same kind are found 
in France, Belgium, Germany, and other 
parts of Europe. 

The Venerable Bede, the ecclesiastical 
historian of Great Britain, says that 
Paulinus, the apostle of the North of 
England, who baptized King Edwin, at 
York, A. d. 627, baptized also great num- 
bers of people in the rivers Glen and 
Swale. — Ecclesiastical History, Lib. 7f. t 
Cap. XIV. 



93 

The following description of one of 
the natural baptisteries used by Paulinus 
is given by a writer in an English pa- 
per : u About eleven miles from the 
Cheviot Hills, separating England and 
Scotland, and about the same distance 
from Alnwick Castle, the celebrated seat 
of the dukes of Northumberland, and 
near the village of Harbottle, there is a 
remarkable fountain. It rises on the top 
of a slight elevation, and just now it is 
thirty-four feet long, twenty feet in 
breadth, and two feet in depth ; but it is 
capable of being made deeper by placing 
a board over an opening at one side. 
The traditions of Northumberland point 
out this fountain as one of the baptis- 
teries of Paulinus, the apostle of the 
North of England, where he immersed 
three thousand during the Easter of A. d. 
627," The " History of Northumber- 
land " contains and confirms the testi- 
mony of tradition. An ancient statue, 
as large as life, which formerly lay pros- 
trate in the spring, now stands against a 
tree on its margin. The drapery of "the 
bishop," as the statue is called, shows 



94 

that it was set up at a very remote period, 
probably only two or three centuries af- 
ter Paulinus, whom it was doubtless in- 
tended to represent. A large crucifix now 
stands in the center of the fountain, 
which bears the following inscription : 
" In this fountain, called the ' Lady's 
Well,' on the introduction of Christian- 
ity in the Saxon reign of Edwin, and 
early in the seventh century, Paulinus, 
an English bishop, baptized about three 
thousand people. The ( Lady's Well ' is 
some thirty or forty miles from Newcas- 
tle, and is full of interest to the anti- 
quary." — W. Cathcart, d. d., m Religious 
Herald. 

Dean Stanley, already quoted as to 
the subjects of baptism, says in his 
" Nineteenth Century " article, above re- 
ferred to : " What then was baptism in 
the apostolic age ? . . In that early age 
the scene of the transaction was either 
some deep wayside spring or well, as for 
the Ethiopian, or some rushing river, as 
the Jordan, or some vast reservoir, as at 
Jericho or Jerusalem, whither, as in the 
baths of Caracalla, at Rome, the whole 



95 

population resorted for swimming or 
washing." 

Again he says : " We now pass to the 
changes in the form itself. For the first 
thirteen centuries the almost universal 
practice of baptism was that of which we 
read in the New Testament, and which 
is the very meaning of the word 4 bap- 
tize ' — that those who were baptized 
were plunged, submerged, immersed into 
the water. That practice is still, as we 
have seen, continued in Eastern churches. 
In the Western churches it still lingers 
among Roman Catholics in the solitary 
instance of the cathedral of Milan, 
among Protestants in the austere sect of 
the Baptists. It lasted long in the Middle 
Ages. Even the Icelanders, who at first 
shrank from the w 7 ater of their freezing 
lakes, were reconciled when they found 
that they could use the warm water of 
the geysers. And the cold climate of 
Russia has not been found an obstacle to 
its continuance throughout that vast em- 
pire. Even in the Church of England it 
is still observed in theory. Elizabeth 
and Edward the Sixth were both im- 



9 6 

mersed. The rubric in the Public Bap- 
tism of Infants enjoins -that, unless for 
special cases, they are to be dipped, not 
sprinkled. But in practice it gave way 
since the beginning of the seventeenth 
century. . . It (immersion) had no doubt 
the sanction of the apostles and of their 
Master. It had the sanction of the ven- 
erable churches of the early ages, and of 
the sacred countries of the East. Bap- 
tism by sprinkling was rejected by the 
whole ancient church (except in the rare 
cases of death-beds or extreme necessity) 
as no baptism at all. . . The change 
from immersion to sprinkling has set 
aside the larger part of the apostolic lan- 
guage regarding baptism, and has altered 
the very meaning of the word." 

While there is no doubt that this emi- 
nent scholar is worthy of full confidence 
as an ecclesiastical historian, and we ac- 
cept his statements as to historical facts, 
yet when he comes to matters of opinion, 
we dissent most absolutely and emphati- 
cally from the grounds on which he 
justifies the change from immersion to 
sprinkling, viz., that man's convenience 



97 

and tastes and preferences may modify 
and override the commands of Christ 
and the practice of the apostles, If this 
principle is once admitted, where shall 
we stop? We may go on introducing 
changes and innovations until there is 
scarcely a feature of the original left. 
This principle lies at the bottom of all 
the corruptions which disfigure Chris- 
tianity to-day. It is a monstrous doc- 
trine, that man has a right to modify his 
Lord's commands, and substitute his 
own fancies and inventions. 

The Book of Common Prayer of the 
Church of England contains the follow- 
ing directions. 

u For the Public Baptism of Infants : 

"Then the Priest shall take the child 
into his hands and shall say to the God- 
fathers and Godmothers, Name this child. 

"And then naming it after them (if 
they shall certify him that the child 
may well endure it) he shall dip it in the 
water discreetly and warily. 

" But if they certify that the child is 
weak it shall suffice to pour water upon 
it. 

G 



9 8 

"The Public Baptism of such as are of 
riper years : 

"Then shall the Priest take each per- 
son to be baptized by the right hand, 
and placing him conveniently by the 
Font, according to his discretion, shall 
ask the Godfathers and Godmothers the 
name ; and then shall dip him in the 
water, or pour water upon him." 

And yet there are persons, with that 
book in their hands, and who ought to 
know what it contains, seeing that they 
regard it as such high authority, who 
will ridicule the Baptists for "dipping." 
What refreshing consistency ! 

One of the weak objections sometimes 
urged by the opponents of Baptist prin- 
ciples is this, that the Jordan was such 
an inconsiderable stream that there was 
not sufficient depth of water for the im- 
mersion of the multitudes by John. 

Lieutenant Lynch, of the United 
States Navy, was sent by his govern- 
ment, in 1848, in charge of an expedi- 
tion to explore the river Jordan and the 
Dead Sea, for antiquarian and scientific 
purposes. They passed down the entire 



99 

length of the Jordan in boats, from the 
lake of Galilee to the Dead Sea. 

" The river was found to vary in width 
from seventy-five to two hundred feet ; 
and in depth from three to twelve feet. 
At Bethabara, where tradition has fixed 
the place of our Saviour's baptism, and 
where John baptized the multitudes, 
Lieutenant Lynch gives the width as one 
hundred and twenty feet, and the great- 
est depth as twelve feet." — LyncKs Dead 
Sea Expedition, Chap. X., XL 

Rev. Dr. Edward Robinson, of Union 
Theological Seminary, New York, who 
visited Palestine in 1840, fully corrobo- 
rates the above statements as to the 
abundance of water in the Jordan. (P.obin- 
son's " Biblical Researches," Vol. II., Sec. 
10, pp. 257-267.) Also Dean Stanley, 
who traveled in the Holy Land in 1853 
("Syria and Palestine," Chap. VII., pp. 
306, 307) ; and Dr. Thomson, for a quarter 
of a century a missionary in Syria, who 
visited the Jordan and witnessed the bath- 
ing of the pilgrims in 1857 ( " The Land 
and the Book," Vol. IL, pp. 445, 446), add 
their testimony to these same facts. 



IOO 



The author of this little book visited 
the Holy Land in December, 1878, and 
bathed in the Jordan at the traditional 
place of baptism, east of Jericho. At 
that time the water was low, and at that 
particular place was comparatively shal- 
low, and yet it was waist-deep at one- 
third of the way across, and to have 
gone farther would have required swim- 
ming. Both above and below this place 
it was much deeper. 

It has also been said that there were 110 
facilities at Jerusalem for the immersion 
of three thousand people in one day. 

Now, the fact is that the water supply 
of the city was very abundant, consider- 
ing that Jerusalem was but a small city 
comparatively. There were, within the 
walls and outside, in the immediate vi- 
cinity, various tanks and reservoirs of 
very large proportions. Some of them 
may be briefly described. 

"The pool of Bethesda is three hun- 
dred and sixty feet long, one hundred 
and thirty wide, and seventy-five deep. 

" The pool of Siloam is fifty-three feet 
long, eighteen wide, and nineteen deep. 



101 



It now holds two or three feet of water, 
which can readily be increased to a much 
greater depth. It was to this pool that 
Christ sent the blind man to wash (John 
9 : 7). Therefore it might be used for 
bathing purposes. 

"The Upper Pool is three hundred 
and sixteen feet long, two hundred and 
eighteen wide, and eighteen deep, cover- 
ing an acre and a half of ground. 

" The pool of Hezekiah is two hun- 
dred and forty feet long, one hundred 
and forty-four wide, and is partly filled 
with water. 

"The Lower Pool, or pool of Gihon, 
is five hundred and ninety-two feet long, 
two hundred and sixty wide, and forty 
deep, having an area of more than three 
and a half acres. The po©l is now dry, 
but so late as the time of the Crusaders 
was fully supplied with water, and free 
to the use of all." 

There were several other pools in or 
near the city. They were all constructed 
so as to make a descent into the water 
safe and easy, and were doubtless in 
constant use for purposes of ablution. 



102 

For corroboration of the above de- 
scriptions see Robinson's " Biblical Re- 
searches," Vol. I.,pp. 480-515, and Thom- 
son's " The Land and the Book," Vol. II., 
pp. 64, 446. 

One of the most eminent authorities 
as to the above facts is Doctor Barclay, 
for many years a missionary in Jerusa- 
lem. His book is " The City of the 
Great King." 

It has sometimes been objected that 
the Christians would not have been al- 
lowed to use these pools for baptism. 
But do we not read immediately after the 
record of the baptism of the three thou- 
sand (Acts 2 : 41), that they had favor 
with all the people? (Ver. 47.) 

Doctor Thomson, the missionary to 
Palestine already quoted, in seeking to 
locate the scene of the eunuch's baptism 
by Philip, says: "He would then have 
met the chariot somewhere southwest of 
Latron. There is a fine stream of water, 
called Murubbah, deep enough even in 
June to satisfy the utmost wishes of our 
Baptist friends." — The Land and the 
Book, Vol. II., p. 310. 



103 

The objection has frequently been 
raised that the three thousand persons 
baptized on the day of Pentecost could 
not have been immersed because it would 
be impossible for such a great number to 
be baptized in that manner in a single 
day. This statement is based on igno- 
rance. To show that it is simply a rash 
conjecture, made without any data, it is 
only necessary to cite a few facts. 

At Velumpilly, ten miles north of On- 
gole, in the Madras Presidency, in the 
month of July, 1878, two thousand two 
hundred and twenty-two persons were 
baptized by immersion in one day. The 
administration of the ordinance was char- 
acterized by due decorum and solemnity. 
There were six administrators, but only 
two of them at a time were engaged in 
baptizing. They relieved each other 
when necessary. It occupied about nine 
hours. 

At Ongole, the writer baptized one 
hundred and eighty-seven persons on 
Sunday evening, April 11, 1880. There 
was no undue haste. The usual formula 
was deliberately pronounced at the bap* 



104 

tism of each one. The service occupied 
about an hour and a half. More instances 
of this kind could be adduced. These are 
sufficient, however, for our purpose. 

It may, perhaps, be thought by some 
that I have dwelt at unnecessary length 
on the proofs of that which is freely ad- 
mitted by so many. I reply that while 
it is true that the greatest Christian 
scholars acknowledge the truth and 
scripturalness of our views of baptism, 
both as regards the subjects and the 
mode, yet there are many persons who, 
never having looked fully into these 
questions, consider us in error ; and it is 
against our baptismal views particularly 
that the strongest opposition and most 
bitter prejudice of our Pedobaptist 
friends are manifested. Many who speak 
against our doctrine and practice of bap- 
tism evidently do not know the testi- 
mony of history with regard to it, nor 
what so many truly learned and candid 
Pedobaptists have written. These facts, 
then, must be my justification if, indeed, 
any is required, for devoting so much 
time to this part of the subject. 



x°5 



Close Communion 

We now come to that much misunder- 
stood and misrepresented subject, that 
terrible bugbear — c lose communion. 
What strange misapprehensions exist in 
regard to it, and what groundless objec- 
tions are urged against it ! Surely no 
subject has ever been more unfairly 
treated. What pointless discussions and 
illogical reasonings have been expended 
upon it ! And what an amount of unde- 
served opprobrium has been heaped upon 
its advocates ! Let us look at it fairly, 
and we will find that all the prejudice 
against it is utterly without foundation. 

In the first place, Baptists believe on 
this subject just what all other evangeli- 
cal denominations of Christians believe, 
viz., that baptism should precede the 
Lord's Supper. They believe that the 
whole tenor of Scripture teaching on the 
subject, as well as the nature and mutual 
relation of the two ordinances, estab- 
lishes a fixed order between them, and 



io6 

that to place the Lord's Supper before 
baptism is to reverse this order. The 
highest authorities might be cited to 
show that this is the almost universal 
belief of Christendom. Roman Cath- 
olics, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lu- 
therans, Methodists, Congregationalists, 
etc., hold that none ought to partake of 
the second ordinance who have not ob- 
served the first. None of these admit the 
unbaptized to the Lord's table. Now this 
is close communion. The only really 
open communionists are those (if any 
such exist) who hold that no conditions 
or qualifications are necessary to a right 
approach to the Lord's Supper, and who 
admit all who choose to come, baptized 
or unbaptized, converted or unconverted. 
As soon as any qualification whatever is re- 
quired the communion ceases to be open. 
All denominations require certain qualifi- 
cations : therefore, all are close commun- 
ionists. And all make baptism an indis- 
pensable qualification : therefore, all are 
close communionists on the very ground 
which is so much complained of in Bap- 
tists. Strictly speaking, then, Baptists 



107 

are no more chargeable with close com- 
munion than others. So that all the un- 
kind feelings and hard words with which 
they are so often assailed on the com- 
munion question are unreasonable, and 
betray either a state of ignorance that is 
pitiable, or an ungenerous disposition 
that is certainly very unlike the spirit of 
Christ. Thus far, then, Baptists and all 
others are agreed, viz., that baptism 
should precede the Lord's Supper. 

Secondly. Already has been shown 
what we believe to be scriptural bap- 
tism; that ground need not, therefore, 
be gone over again at any length. In 
brief, we believe that the infallible stand- 
ard — the word of God — plainly teaches, 
and ecclesiastical history and the high- 
est Christian scholarship fully confirm 
the doctrine, that Christian baptism is 
the immersion of a believer in water, in 
the name of the Father, Son, and Holy 
Spirit, and that nothing else answers 
the requirements of God's word. 

Now put these two things together, 
and what is the result ? We are led im- 
mediately, inevitably, and logically to 



io8 

the Baptist position on the communion 
question. While we hold that baptism 
is a prerequisite to the Lord's Supper, 
and that nothing but the immersion of 
a believer in water, in the name of the 
Trinity, is scriptural baptism, we cannot 
occupy any other ground than that of re- 
stricted communion. Any other course 
would be a most dishonest compromise 
of principle. Any one with the slight- 
est perception or reasoning power must 
at once see this. 

Our friends who object to our views 
and practice in this matter must first 
show us that one or the other of the two 
positions defined above is unscriptural 
and erroneous. They could hardly ask 
us to stultify our reason, and be dishon- 
est to our convictions by practising free 
communion while holding the views 
which we do. In order to make way for 
a change of practice one of our positions 
must first be abandoned. Which shall it 
be? Shall it be the first, viz., that bap- 
tism must precede the Lord's Supper? 
That could hardly be expected when we 
believe so firmly that it is scriptural ; 



109 

and other denominations could scarcely 
ask this of us, when they hold it just as 
firmly as we do. Shall it be the second ? 
But how can we do that, when to our 
minds nothing is more plainly taught 
in God's book than that believers only 
are the proper subjects and immersion 
only the proper mode of baptism ; and 
when, in addition, we have the universal 
testimony of history, and the admissions 
of the best and most learned in all 
branches of Christ's church to show that 
our understanding of Scripture on these 
points is correct ? As well might we be 
asked to adopt the consecrated wafer, in- 
stead of bread and wine, at the Lord's 
table, as to adopt infant sprinkling in- 
stead of scriptural baptism. It is plain, 
then, that we cannot be loyal to God's 
word, as we understand it, and abandon 
either of the above mentioned positions. 
And while we hold them, it is equally 
plain that we cannot be open-communion- 
ists. To do that we would have to tram- 
ple on the teachings of the New Testa- 
ment, stifle our convictions of truth, and 
bear about with us continually the con- 



no 



sciousness of being inconsistent, illogi- 
cal, and dishonest. The only logical way 
for a Baptist to become an advocate of free 
communion is to deny that the Scrip- 
tures require baptism before the lord's 
Supper. If he can firmly believe that, 
then the path is open. This is the 
ground taken by most of those Baptists 
who hold open communion views. But 
how can we accept that doctrine when 
the word teaches us that the breaking of 
bread was observed by the churches, and 
that the churches were composed of those 
who, having believed on Jesus, were 
baptized? L,et it be shown where the 
Lord's Supper was observed by any others 
than companies of Christian disciples; 
and then let it be shown where there 
were companies of Christian disciples 
who were unbaptized. Till this is done 
we must believe that the blessed com- 
memorative ordinance was designed for 
baptized believers in Christ. 

Clearly, then, the difference on this 
subject between Baptists and other de- 
nominations is not in reference to com- 
munion, but in reference to baptism; 



Ill 



therefore let us be charged with close 
baptism, but not with close communion. 
There is no controversy between us and 
other Christian bodies concerning the 
necessity of baptism preceding commun- 
ion ; that tenet is common to all. The 
real point at issue is baptism, the sub- 
jects and mode. Therefore, let ours be 
called close baptism, or let others be 
called close communionists, in common 
with ourselves ; either will be fair, and 
will satisfy us. 

The following extracts will show that 
our position is regarded as perfectly log- 
ical and consistent by thinking men of 
other denominations. 

The distinguished Doctor Griffin, pres- 
ident of Williams College, says : " I 
agree with the advocates of close com- 
munion in two points : i. That baptism 
is the initiating ordinance which intro- 
duces us into the visible church ; of 
course, where there is no baptism there 
are no visible churches. (2) That we 
ought not to commune with those who 
are not baptized, and of course are not 
church-members, even if we regard them 



112 

as Christians. Should a pious Quaker 
so far depart from his principles as to 
wish to commune with me at the Lord's 
table, while yet he refused to be bap- 
tized, I could not receive him ; because 
there is such a relationship established 
between the two ordinances that I have 
no right to separate them." 

Rev. Dr. Hibbard, a very able writer 
among the Methodists of the United 
States, says : " The charge of close com- 
munion is no more applicable to the 
Baptists than to us, inasmuch as the 
question of church fellowship with them 
is determined by as liberal principles as 
it is with any other Protestant churches, 
so far, I mean, as the present subject is 
concerned, i <?., it is determined by valid 
baptism." 

" To the question, whom shall we ad- 
mit to the Lord's table? the close-com- 
munion Baptist gives precisely the same 
answer with the great body of those Con- 
gregationalists and Presbyterians who 
are so prone to reproach them with their 
close communion." — New York Inde- 
pendent 



H3 

It is worthy of remark "that in one 
direction, Pedobaptists carry their prac- 
tice of close communion much farther 
than the Baptists do ; inasmuch as they 
exclude from the Lord's table a large 
class of their own members, viz., bap- 
tized children, not allowing them com- 
munion, though they are members. If 
children are suitable subjects for bap- 
tism, it seems most unreasonable to ex- 
clude them from the communion." 
There can be no doubt that they were 
admitted to it when infant baptism be- 
gan to be practised. It was clearly seen 
that if they were fit for one ordinance, 
they were fit for the other also. 

When it cannot be denied that our po- 
sition on the communion question is 
scriptural and logical, then objection is 
made to us, usually in one of the follow- 
ing forms : 

We are told that inviting to the Lord's 
Supper none but those who have been 
baptized, we make too much of baptism ; 
that we make it a saving ordinance. To 
this our only and oft-repeated reply is: 
11 We do not make it a saving ordinance, 

H 



H4 

nor do we attach any more importance 
to it than is given to it by the Holy 
Scriptures. If the divine word makes it 
binding upon every disciple as his first 
duty after believing in Christ, then we 
must do the same. We dare not change 
the Master's commands." 

It is sometimes said : " Your refusal to 
invite Pedobaptists to commune with you 
implies that you do not regard them as 
Christians." Not at all. We have no 
such thoughts in reference to them. 
But we ask, would Pedobaptist churches 
invite to their communion those whom 
they regarded as unbaptized, even though 
they believed them to be converted per- 
sons? 

The objection may take this form : 
" It is the Lord's table ; why, therefore, 
do you not invite all who profess to be 
the Lord's people ? " We reply that it 
is the Lord's table, therefore we are not 
at liberty to invite any but those who, 
according to his word, are qualified. If 
it were our table, we might invite whom 
we pleased, and modify the qualifications 
as we saw fit, or do away with them alto- 



"5 

gether ; but we are not at liberty to 
change the institutions of our Heavenly 
King. 

Again, it is said : " We hope to com- 
mune together in heaven, why not then 
on earth?" One can hardly suppose 
that such a question as this is asked 
seriously ; for how can a supposition as 
to what we may do in heaven regulate 
our conduct on earth when we have the 
precept and example of Christ and his 
apostles to regulate it ? 

It is sometimes sentimentally said, in 
favor of open communion : " How ap- 
provingly the angels would look down 
on such scenes ! " To this we reply, one 
word from the Bible is worth a thousand 
guesses as to what the angels would ap- 
prove or disapprove. We suspect, how- 
ever, that the angels look most approv- 
ingly upon such as faithfully keep 
Christ's ordinances as they are delivered 
to them in his holy word, neither adding 
thereto nor taking therefrom anything to 
suit our fancies or feelings. 

Surely it should be the aim of all 
Christians to reproduce in this age, as 



n6 

nearly as possible, primitive Christianity, 
and certainly the surest way to do this is 
to adhere firmly to the teachings of 
Christ and his apostles, and to copy 
closely the New Testament model. 



XI 

Antiquity of Baptist Principles 

If these principles are scriptural, then 
they are as old as Christianity. And it 
is because we believe them to be the 
principles committed by Christ and his 
apostles to the primitive churches that 
we hold them. But let us see what 
traces of them we can discover during 
the intervening ages. 

We hold that the true succession is 
succession of doctrines and principles, of 
faith and works ; that the genuine repre- 
sentatives of the primitive Christians, 
the true successors of the apostles, are 
those who hold their doctrines and fol- 
low their example, as they followed 
Christ. 

The Baptist claim to continuity from 



ii7 

primitive times is nothing more nor less 
than this : That during all the interven- 
ing ages there have been persons, at 
times numerous and prominent, at other 
times scattered by persecution and hid- 
den, holding substantially the same dis- 
tinctive principles we hold to-day. But 
their history is to be " traced by their 
sufferings for the truth, by the stains of 
their martyrs' blood, by the light of their 
martyrs' fires." 

President Edwards, speaking of the 
long, dreary interval between the rise of 
Antichrist and the Reformation, says : 
" In every age of this dark time there 
appeared particular persons in all parts 
of Christendom who bore a testimony 
against the corruptions and tyranny of 
the Church of Rome. There is no age 
of Antichrist — even in the darkest times 
of all — but ecclesiastical historians men- 
tion a great many by name who pleaded 
for the ancient purity of doctrine and 
worship. God was pleased to maintain 
an uninterrupted succession of witnesses 
through the whole time, in Germany, 
France, Britain, and other countries. 



n6 

nearly as possible, primitive Christianity, 
and certainly the surest way to do this is 
to adhere firmly to the teachings of 
Christ and his apostles, and to copy 
closely the New Testament model. 



XI 

Antiquity of Baptist Principles 

If these principles are scriptural, then 
they are as old as Christianity. And it 
is because we believe them to be the 
principles committed by Christ and his 
apostles to the primitive churches that 
we hold them. But let us see what 
traces of them we can discover during 
the intervening ages. 

We hold that the true succession is 
succession of doctrines and principles, of 
faith and works ; that the genuine repre- 
sentatives of the primitive Christians, 
the true successors of the apostles, are 
those who hold their doctrines and fol- 
low their example, as they followed 
Christ. 

The Baptist claim to continuity from 



ii7 

primitive times is nothing more nor less 
than this : That during all the interven- 
ing ages there have been persons, at 
times numerous and prominent, at other 
times scattered by persecution and hid- 
den, holding substantially the same dis- 
tinctive principles we hold to-day. But 
their history is to be " traced by their 
sufferings for the truth, by the stains of 
their martyrs' blood, by the light of their 
martyrs' fires." 

President Edwards, speaking of the 
long, dreary interval between the rise of 
Antichrist and the Reformation, says : 
" In every age of this dark time there 
appeared particular persons in all parts 
of Christendom who bore a testimony 
against the corruptions and tyranny of 
the Church of Rome. There is no age 
of Antichrist — even in the darkest times 
of all — but ecclesiastical historians men- 
tion a great many by name who pleaded 
for the ancient purity of doctrine and 
worship. God was pleased to maintain 
an uninterrupted succession of witnesses 
through the whole time, in Germany, 
France, Britain, and other countries. 



n8 

And there were numbers in every age 
who were persecuted and put to death for 
this testimony." — Works, Vol. L, p. 460. 

Those who during this long period 
stood out boldly against the increasing 
corruptions of Christianity, the usurped 
power of the clergy, and the union of 
Church and State, and who plead ear- 
nestly for liberty of conscience, the sole 
authority of God's word, and the purity 
of the church, were known by different 
names in different ages and countries ; 
but their leading principles were sub- 
stantially the same. In the earlier ages 
there were the Novatians, Donatists, 
Paulicians, and others, and in later times 
the Waldenses, Albigenses, or Vaudois. 

It is not pretended that all these were 
Baptists in all respects, and we by no 
means endorse all the sentiments held by 
these different bodies. It is only claimed 
that the distinguishing principles of the 
Baptists have had advocates in every age, 
and that too among those who are uni- 
versally regarded as the preservers of 
primitive Christianity during the dark 
ages. 



ii 9 

In the third century were the Nova- 
tians. It was in Rome that their prin- 
ciples began to be declared. The lead- 
ing principle which distinguished them, 
and for which they earnestly contended, 
was the purity of the church. In fact, it 
was on account of their adherence to this 
principle that their dissent and separate 
organization took place. The dominant 
church had become very lax in disci- 
pline, and looked leniently upon gross 
offenses in its members. The Novatians 
maintained that the church should be 
holy. They were called Cathari, or 
Puritans ; and they rebaptized those who 
came over to them from the Catholics. — 
See Mosheim, Cent ITL, Part II. , Chap. 

In the fourth century the Donatists se- 
ceded from the rapidly degenerating 
church. It was in Northern Africa that 
this took place. Concerning their prin- 
ciples, D. C. Eddy, D. D., says: "A 
French historian (Crispin) gives the creed 
of the Donatists when he charges them 
with holding the following things : 
* First, for purity of church-members, by 



I20 



asserting that none ought to be admitted 
into the church but such as are visibly 
true believers and real saints ; secondly, 
for purity of church discipline ; thirdly, 
for the independence of each church ; 
and fourthly, they baptized again those 
whose first baptism they had reason to 
doubt.' " — Roger Williams and the Bap* 
lists, p. 56. 

T. G. Jones, d. d., makes the fol- 
lowing quotations: u Twisck, 'Chron.,' 
Book VI., p. 201, says : c The followers of 
Donatus were all one with the Anabap- 
tists, denying baptism to children, ad- 
mitting believers only thereto who de- 
sired the same, and maintaining that none 
ought to be forced to any belief.' D'An- 
vers, in his 'Treatise on Baptism,' says: 
' Austin's third and fourth books against 
the Donatists demonstrate that they de- 
nied infant baptism. And therefore Osi- 
ander, in his u Epit. Cent. XVI," p. 175, 
saith that our modern Anabaptists were 
the same with the Donatists of old.' " — 
The Baptists, p. 70. 

Rev. Thomas Long, prebendary of Ex- 
eter, published a " History of the Donat- 



121 



ists," in 1677, in which he says (page 
103), that " they did not only rebaptize 
the adults that came over to them, but 
refused to baptize children, contrary to 
the practice of the church, as appears by 
several discourses of St. Augustine." 

According to Doctor Eddy: " Neander 
asserts that with the Donatists is to be 
found the true historical origin of the 
Waldenses." 

In the seventh century and onward for 
several hundred years the most prominent 
witnesses for the truth and opposers of 
the widespread corruption and ritualism 
of the dominant church, were the Pauli- 
cians. Armenia was the principal scene 
of their earnest protests and terrible per- 
secutions. They became exceedingly 
numerous, as may be judged from the 
statement of Mosheim, that, under the 
Empress Theodora, between A. d. 841 
and 855, about one hundred thousand of 
them were put to death. We are en- 
tirely dependent on the writings of their 
bitter enemies for a knowledge of their 
doctrines, so that they are probably 
much misrepresented. This we learn, 



122 



however, that they protested earnestly 
against the many errors, both in doc- 
trine and practice, which had grown up 
in the Catholic Church, and condemned 
the multiplied forms and ceremonies, the 
ritualism of that age, such as the wor- 
ship of the Virgin Mary and the saints, 
the adoration of the cross and of images, 
etc. They advocated great simplicity of 
worship. Their opposition to the super- 
stitious and idolatrous worship which 
then prevailed doubtless led some of 
them to an extreme position on the op- 
posite side, and disposed them to do 
away with external forms. Mosheim 
says : " They rejected baptism as a rite of 
no use as regards salvation, and espe- 
cially the baptism of infants. ' ' — Cent. XL , 
Part II., Chap. V. Large numbers of 
them afterward removed to the provinces 
of Bulgaria and Thrace, whence they 
spread into Italy, so that in the early 
part of the eleventh century they were 
very numerous in Lombardy and Insu- 
bria, and especially in Milan. In Italy 
they were called Paterini and Cathari. 
They afterward appeared in different 



123 

countries of Europe. In France they 
were known as Albigenses and Boni 
Homines (good men). 

It seems evident that all these differ- 
ent bodies of dissenters, who during the 
course of many centuries in different 
parts of the world, and in the face of the 
fiercest persecutions maintained their 
advocacy of primitive Christianity, were 
substantially one and the same people. 
Holding a common faith, the various 
branches readily merged into one an- 
other, so that the different names used 
by historians are not generally the names 
of distinct sects, but different appella- 
tions given in different ages and coun- 
tries to people holding substantially the 
same principles. 

We now come to the Waldenses, who 
as a continuation or blending of the 
above-mentioned bodies, occupied a very 
prominent position from the eleventh 
century onward for many ages, as the 
principal advocates of " the faith once 
delivered to the saints," and the firm 
protesters against the apostasy and cor- 
ruptions of the Romish Church. 



124 

Their principal dwelling-places were 
in the secluded valleys of the Cottian 
Alps, in Piedmont on the Italian side, 
and the Province of Dauphine on the 
French side. These, I say, were their 
principal retreats; but there were Wal- 
denses, Albigenses, or Vaudois, living in 
many parts of Europe. 

President Edwards, speaking of their 
Alpine retreat, says: "It is supposed 
they first betook themselves to this des- 
ert, secret place among the mountains, to 
hide themselves from the severity of the 
heathen persecutors which were before 
Constantine the Great. And there their 
posterity continued from age to age after- 
ward. And being, as it were, by natural 
walls, as well as by God's grace, sepa- 
rated from the rest of the world, never 
partook of the overflowing corruption." 
— Works ) Vol. I., Hist, of Redemp., p. 
460. 

But what were the religious principles 
of the Waldenses? It is quite a com- 
mon thing for different bodies of Chris- 
tians at the present day to claim direct 
relationship to these ancient witnesses 



125 

for the truth. And no wonder there is a 
desire to trace such a connection, for 
they were the faithful and heroic pre- 
servers of gospel truth and simplicity 
through those long dark ages when the 
dominant church had gone so far astray. 

It is true that since the Reformation 
the modern Waldenses have yielded some 
points in their ancient faith, and have 
generally become Pedobaptists ; but it is 
concerning the ancient Waldenses that 
our present inquiry is made — those who 
were God's faithful witnesses during the 
Middle Ages. 

In seeking to ascertain their principles 
it is important to know what was be- 
lieved and preached by the eminent men 
who in different places were identified 
with them. Peter de Bruys was one of 
the most illustrious of the leaders. After 
twenty years of most successful labor in 
the south of France in winning souls to 
Christ and turning multitudes from the 
corrupted Christianity of those days, he 
was burnt at the stake, A. d. 1124 or 
1 1 30. One of his principles is thus 
given by Mosheim : " That persons 



126 

ought not to be baptized until they come 
to the use of reason." — Cent XII., Part 
II., Chap. V. Neander says "that he 
was an opponent of infant baptism, since 
he regarded personal faith as a necessary 
condition for true baptism, and denied 
the benefit in the case of another's faith." 
— History Christian Religion and Church, 
Vol. IV., p. 595- 

He was followed by Henry of Lau- 
sanne, who preached the gospel boldly, 
and with great results. The truth as 
proclaimed by him was accepted by mul- 
titudes. He was at last apprehended 
and committed to prison in A. D. 1148, 
where he soon after died. Neander says 
that " he attacked various customs which 
could not be directly proved from the 
sacred Scriptures, as corruptions of primi- 
tive Christianity ; such, for example, as 
the worship of saints and infant bap- 
tism." — History Christian Religion and 
Church, Vol. IV., p. 601. Mosheim says : 
" An accurate account of the doctrines of 
this man also has not come down to us. 
We only know that he too disapproved 
of infant baptism, inveighed severely 



127 

against the corrupt morals of the clergy, 
despised the festal days and the religious 
ceremonies, and held clandestine assem- 
blies."— Cent. XII., Part II., Chap. V. 

In a Waldensian Treatise on Anti- 
christ, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, 
and the Sacraments, supposed to have 
been written about the year 1120, it is 
said of Antichrist that " He teaches to 
baptize children into the faith, and at- 
tributes to this the work of regeneration, 
thus confounding the work of the Holy 
Spirit in regeneration with the external 
rite of baptism, and on this foundation 
bestows orders, and indeed grounds all his 
Christianity." M. de Potter, in his ac- 
count of the Waldenses, says: "They 
had a care that it (baptism) should never 
be conferred on children of a tender 
age"; and again, "laying stress on the 
truth that in infancy there can be no 
actual conversion to the Christian faith, 
they therefore baptized anew all those 
who left the Romish Church, wishing to 
embrace their doctrine." In the public 
declaration of their faith to the French 
king, a. D. 1521, according to Montanus, 



126 

ought not to be baptized until they come 
to the use of reason." — Cent. XII., Part 
II., Chap. V. Neander says "that he 
was an opponent of infant baptism, since 
he regarded personal faith as a necessary 
condition for true baptism, and denied 
the benefit in the case of another's faith." 
— History Christian Religion and Church, 
Vol. IV, p. 595. 

He was followed by Henry of Lau- 
sanne, who preached the gospel boldly, 
and with great results. The truth as 
proclaimed by him was accepted by mul- 
titudes. He was at last apprehended 
and committed to prison in A. d. 1148, 
where he soon after died. Neander says 
that " he attacked various customs which 
could not be directly proved from the 
sacred Scriptures, as corruptions of primi- 
tive Christianity ; such, for example, as 
the worship of saints and infant bap- 
tism." — History Christian Religion and 
Church, Vol. IV., p. 601. Mosheim says : 
" An accurate account of the doctrines of 
this man also has not come down to us. 
We only know that he too disapproved 
of infant baptism, inveighed severely 



127 

against the corrupt morals of the clergy, 
despised the festal days and the religious 
ceremonies, and held clandestine assem- 
blies."— Cent. XIL, Part II., Chap. V. 

In a Waldensian Treatise on Anti- 
christ, Purgatory, Invocation of Saints, 
and the Sacraments, supposed to have 
been written about the year 1120, it is 
said of Antichrist that " He teaches to 
baptize children into the faith, and at- 
tributes to this the work of regeneration, 
thus confounding the work of the Holy 
Spirit in regeneration with the external 
rite of baptism, and on this foundation 
bestows orders, and indeed grounds all his 
Christianity." M. de Potter, in his ac- 
count of the Waldenses, says : " They 
had a care that it (baptism) should never 
be conferred on children of a tender 
age"; and again, " laying stress on the 
truth that in infancy there can be no 
actual conversion to the Christian faith, 
they therefore baptized anew all those 
who left the Romish Church, wishing to 
embrace their doctrine." In the public 
declaration of their faith to the French 
king, A. d. 1521, according to Montanus, 



128 

they " assert in the strongest terms the 
baptizing of believers, and deny that of 
infants." One of their ancient Confes- 
sions of Faith declares : " We consider 
the sacraments as signs of holy things, 
or as the visible emblems of invisible 
blessings. We regard it as proper and 
even necessary that believers use these 
symbols, or visible forms, when it can be 
done. Notwithstanding, we maintain 
that believers may be saved without 
these signs when they have neither place 
nor opportunity of observing them." 
Starck, Court Preacher of Darmstadt, in 
his " History of Baptism," says of the 
Waldenses, "they not only rejected in- 
fant baptism, but rebaptized those who 
passed from the Catholic Church to 
them." Drs. Ypeij and Dermont, in 
their " History of the Reformed Church 
of the Netherlands," say : "It is certain 
that the Netherlands Waldenses always 
rejected infant baptism, and administered 
the ordinances only to adults. We may 
find this positively asserted by Hierony- 
mus Verdussen, by the abbot of Clugny, 
and other Romish writers." The ex- 



129 

tracts in the foregoing paragraph I have 
taken from " Roger Williams and the 
Baptists," by D. C. Eddy, d. d., and "The 
Baptists," by T. G. Jones, d. d. They 
are contained also in many other works. 

The third canon of the Conncil of 
Toulouse, held a. d. 1119, bears wit- 
ness to the existence and activity of 
Christians in the province of Dauphin^, 
who were then " busily agitating the 
questions of the real presence, infant 
baptism, and validity of sacerdotal or- 
ders." It was the descendants of these 
sturdy maintainers of truth, whom that 
apostolic man Felix Neff found in the 
High Alps ages afterward, and among 
whom he spent his useful life. — Life of 
Felix Neff. 

Mosheim says : "I believe the Mennon- 
ites (Dutch Baptists) are not altogether 
in the wrong, when they boast of a de- 
scent from those Waldensians, Petrobru- 
sians, and others, who are usually styled 
the witnesses for the truth, before Luther. 
Prior to the age of Luther there lay con- 
cealed, in almost every country of Europe, 
but especially in Bohemia, Moravia, 



13° 

Switzerland, and Germany, very many 
persons, in whose minds was deeply 
rooted that principle which the Walden- 
sians, the Wickliffites, and the Hussites 
maintained, some more covertly, and 
others more openly, namely, that the 
kingdom which Christ set up on the 
earth, or the visible church, is an assem- 
bly of holy persons, and ought therefore 
to be entirely free, not only from ungodly 
persons and sinners, but from all institu- 
tions of human device against ungodli- 
ness. This principle lay at the founda- 
tion, and was the source of all that was 
new and singular in the religion of the 
Mennonites ; and the greatest part of 
their singular opinions, as is well at- 
tested, were approved some centuries be- 
fore Luther's time, by those who had 
such views of the nature of the church 
of Christ"— Cent. XVI., Sec. III., Part 
II. , Chap. VI. 

In the early part of the present cen- 
tury, the king of the Netherlands ap- 
pointed his chaplain, Rev. J. J. Dermont, 
and Dr. Ypeij, professor of theology in 
the University of Groningen, to prepare 



i3i 

a history of the Reformed Church of the 
Netherlands. The result of their inves- 
tigations was given to the world in their 
work published at Breda in 1819. They 
were Pedobaptists, and of course had no 
inclination to favor the Baptists any fur- 
ther than truth required. They say: 
11 We have now seen that the Baptists, 
who were formerly called Anabaptists, 
and in later times Mennonites, were the 
original Waldenses, and who, long in the 
history of the church, received the honor 
of that origin. On this account the 
Baptists may be considered as the only 
Christian community which has stood 
since the days of the apostles, and as a 
Christian Society which has preserved 
pure the docrines of the gospel through 
all ages." 

In exact agreement with this is the 
statement of that illustrious Christian 
philosopher, Sir Isaac Newton, whose ec- 
clesiastical investigations were only less 
extensive and profound than his philo- 
sophical. He is said to have frequently 
expressed the opinion that "the Baptists 
were the only Christians who had never 



132 



symbolized with the Church of Rome.' 1 
— Afifiletorts American Cyclopedia. 



XII 

Baptist Martyrology 

The martyrology of the Baptists would 
form an almost endless record of perse- 
cution and suffering. Age after age they 
were oppressed in the most relentless 
manner. Of them it might truly be said : 
"They had trial of cruel mockings and 
scourgings ; yea, moreover, of bonds and 
imprisonment ; they were stoned, they 
were sawn asunder, were tempted, were 
slain with the sword ; they wandered 
about in sheepskins and goatskins, being 
destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom 
the world was not worthy); they wan- 
dered in deserts, and in mountains, and 
in dens and caves of the earth " (Heb. 
ii : 36-38). 

According to Mosheim: "Vast num- 
bers of these people (Baptists) in nearly 
all the countries of Europe would rather 
perish miserably by drowning, hanging, 



*33 

burning, or decapitation, than renounce 
the opinions they had embraced, " — Cent. 
XVI., Sect. III., Part II., Chap. V. Car- 
dinal Hosius, who presided at the Council 
of Trent, says of the Baptists : " There 
have been none for these twelve hundred 
years past, that have been more griev- 
ously punished." 

Time would fail to enumerate even a 
small proportion of those who have suf- 
fered for the principles which we hold 
dear. Such cases crowd the pages of 
history for many centuries. In Italy, 
Germany, Switzerland, France, England, 
— in almost every country of Europe, — 
Baptists have been tortured and slain in 
vast numbers for these very principles. 
They could not yield what they believed 
to be the truth of God ; life could be 
given up, but not truth. 

It would be impossible to tell how ter- 
rible were the storms of persecution 
which fell upon the unoffending Wal- 
denses and Albigenses ; hew fierce and 
fiendish the rage of their destroyers ; how 
many thousands of them suffered atroci- 
ties similar to those which were perpetra- 



134 

ted a few years ago in Bulgaria and other 
provinces of Turkey. The history of 
their persecutions is one continuous rec- 
ord of fire and sword, the rack and the 
gibbet, the most inhuman tortures and 
heart-rending scenes. Tens of thousands 
were tortured and slain simply for their 
opinions. Their persecutors acknowl- 
edged that they were persons of blame- 
less life, and loyal subjects ; but they held 
certain religious principles which have 
always been hated by ungodly men and 
worldly Christians. 

The names of very many might be 
given who suffered martyrdom in Eng- 
land, alike under Bloody Mary and Pro- 
testant Elizabeth, solely for holding 
these views ; but the details of their tor- 
tures and death are dreadful. In the 
sixteenth century immense numbers of 
Baptists suffered by fine, imprisonment, 
banishment, or burning. For details, 
see " Cramp's Baptist History," Chap. V. 
and VI. 

One case may be given to illustrate 
the kind of persecution Baptists had to 
suffer in England as late as the latter 



*35 

part of the seventeenth century. Rev. 
Benjamin Keach was a Baptist minister 
at Winslow, in Buckinghamshire. He 
afterward became pastor of the church 
to which Rev. C. H. Spurgeon ministered, 
the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London. 

"In 1664 Mr - Keach published a little 
book for the use of children, entitled, 
1 The Child's Instructor ; or, a New and 
Easy Primmer.' For this he was sum- 
moned to appear at the assizes at Ayles- 
bury, October 8, 1664. Being brought to 
the bar, the clerk said, ' Benjamin Keach, 
hear your charge : Thou art here indicted, 
by the name of Benjamin Keach, of 
Winslow, in the county of Bucks, for 
that thou being a seditious, schismatic 
person, evilly and maliciously disposed, 
and disaffected to His Majesty's govern- 
ment, and the government of the Church 
of England, didst maliciously and wick- 
edly, on the 5th of May, in the sixteenth 
year of the reign of our sovereign lord 
the King, write, print, and publish, or 
cause to be written, printed, and pub- 
lished, one seditious and venomous book, 
entitled, " The Child's Instructor ; or, a 



136 

New and Easy Primmer" ; wherein are 
contained, by way of question and an- 
swer, these damnable positions, contrary 
to the Book of Common Prayer, and the 
liturgy of the Church of England ; that 
is to say, in one place you have thus 
written : Q. Who are the right subjects 
for baptism ? A. Believers, or godly men 
and women, who make profession of their 
faith and repentance. 

u ' In another place you have mali- 
ciously and wickedly written these 
words : Q. How shall it go with the 
saints when Christ cometh? A. Very 
well ; it is the day they have longed for. 
Then shall they hear the sentence, 
" Come, ye blessed of my Father, in- 
herit the kingdom prepared for you ; " 
and so shall they reign with Christ on 
the earth a thousand years, even on 
mount Sion, in the New Jerusalem. 

" ' In another place you have wicked- 
ly and maliciously written these plain 
English words : Q. Why may not in- 
fants be received into the church now, 
as they were under the law? A. Be- 
cause the fleshly seed is cast out. Though 



r 37 

God under that dispensation did receive 
infants in a lineal way by generation ; 
yet he that hath the key of David, that 
openeth and no man shutteth, and shut- 
teth and no man openeth, hath shut up 
this way into the church, and opened the 
door of regeneration, receiving in none 
now but true believers. Q. What is the 
case of infants ? A. Infants that die are 
members of the kingdom of glory, though 
they be not members of the visible 
church. Q. Do they, then, that bring in 
infants in a lineal way by generation, err 
from the way of truth? A. Yea, they 
do ; for they make not God's holy word 
their rule, but do presume to open a door 
that Christ hath shut, and none ought to 
open.' 

11 The judge bade the jury bring him 
in guilty, and then pronounced the fol- 
lowing sentence : { Benjamin Keach, you 
are here convicted for writing, printing, 
and publishing a seditious and schis- 
matical book, for which the court's judg- 
ment is this, and the court doth award 
that you shall go to gaol for a fortnight 
without bail or mainprize ; and the next 



133 

Saturday to stand upon the pillory at 
Aylesbury, in the open market, from 
eleven o'clock till one, with a paper 
upon your head with this inscription : 
For writing, printing, and publishing a 
schismatical book, entitled, " The Child "*s 
Instructor ; or, a New and Easy Prim- 
mer" And the next Thursday to stand, 
in the same manner and for the same 
time, in the market at Winslow ; and 
then your book shall be openly burnt 
before your face by the common hang- 
man, in disgrace of you and your doc- 
trine. And you shall forfeit to the 
King's Majesty the sum of twenty 
pounds, shall remain in gaol until you 
find sureties for your good behaviour, 
and for your appearance at the next as- 
sizes ; then to renounce your doctrines, 
and make such public submission as 
shall be enjoined by you." 

This inhuman sentence was rigorously 
carried out. " His head and hands were 
no sooner placed in the pillory than he 
began to address himself to the spectators 
to this effect : ' Good people, I am not 
ashamed to stand here this day, with this 



139 

paper on my head ; my Lord Jesus was 
not ashamed to suffer on the cross for 
me ; and it is for his cause that I am 
made a gazing stock. Take notice, it is 
not for any wickedness that I stand here, 
but for writing and publishing those 
truths which the Spirit of the Lord hath 
revealed in the Holy Scriptures.' " — The 
Metropolitan Tabernacle, its History and 
Work, by C. H. Spur g eon. 

Let us now take a glance at America 
two hundred years ago, and see how 
Baptists were treated therein. We might 
reasonably suppose that those who had 
fled from tyranny in the old world, in 
order that they might find beyond the 
Atlantic "freedom to worship God," 
would appreciate and practise toleration 
in their new home. But what are the 
facts ? The Puritans bitterly persecuted 
those whose religious views differed from 
theirs, and the Baptists especially felt the 
force of their intolerance. By statute law 
it was ordered, in 1636, in the colony of 
Massachusetts, that "no person being a 
member of any church, which shall here- 



140 

after be gathered without the approba- 
tion of the magistrates, and the greater 
part of said churches, shall be admitted 
to the freedom of this common wealth,' ' 
thus disfranchising all who were not of 
the standing order. In the same year it 
was enacted that " if any Christian shall 
openly condemn the baptizing of infants, 
or shall purposely depart the congrega- 
tion at the administration of that ordi- 
nance, and continuing obstinate therein, 
he shall be sentenced to be banished." 

In 1 65 1, Obadiah Holmes and John 
Clark, two Baptist ministers, came from 
Newport to Lynn, Mas&, and attempted 
to hold a religious service at the house 
of William Witter, a Baptist. While 
Mr. Clark was preaching they were ar- 
rested by order of the magistrates. At 
the trial they were charged chiefly with 
baptizing, and denying the validity of 
infant baptism, and Mr. Clark was fined 
twenty pounds, and Mr. Holmes thirty 
pounds, and in default of payment they 
were both to be severely whipped. The 
latter would not, or could not, pay the 
fine, and 



i4i 

Without mercy his back was laid bare, and the 
lash laid on for conscience' sake. The flesh hung 
in gory welts, and yet the blows fell ; the blood 
ran down his legs and made puddles on the 
ground, and yet the blows fell, until intolerance 
was satisfied. "As the strokes fell upon me," he 
says, " I had such a spiritual manifestation of 
God' s presence as I never had before, and the out- 
ward pain was so removed from me that I well 
could bear it ; yea, I felt it not, although it was 
grievous, as the spectators said, the man striking 
with all his strength (yea, spitting in his hands 
three times, as many affirmed), with a three-corded 
whip, giving me therewith thirty strokes." 

This was not in Madrid or Rome, but 
in New England — the land of the free. 
It was not done by the Inquisitors of the 
Middle Ages, but by the poor, meek, per- 
secuted Puritans, who, a few years before, 
longed so earnestly for religious liberty. 

As we look back over the noble army 
of Baptist martyrs all along the centu- 
ries, suffering for the truth as it is in 
Jesus, and sealing their testimony with 
their blood, we feel that here is a succes- 
sion worth talking about and worth de- 
fending ; a succession of apostolic prin- 
ciples and apostolic men. We are thank- 
ful for such a spiritual pedigree. 



142 

Had not these principles been immortal 
as the word of God, they would have 
faded forever from the earth, when all 
the world waged war against them. 
Well may we with wonder ask why 
such principles have always been spoken 
against and their advocates persecuted. 
There is nothing in these doctrines that 
is injurious to men morally or spirit- 
ually ; nothing that is hostile to the 
welfare of society ; nothing that is sub- 
versive of law and good government. 
And yet they have, from the beginning, 
been fiercely opposed, and their adherents 
have been the objects of tyranny. Per- 
haps we may find the explanation in the 
fact that the truth, even when uttered by 
the Son of God, was hated and resisted, 
and that he — the very truth itself — was 
crowned with thorns and crucified. 



XIII 

Our Position 

Wisdom says, "Let another man praise 
thee and not thine own mouth." L,et us 
hear then what others have said. 



143 

The late Dr. Wood, of Andover, Mass., 
in 1854 thus expressed himself: " I en- 
tertain the most cordial esteem, love, and 
confidence toward the Baptists, as a de- 
nomination. I have had the freest inter- 
course and the sincerest friendship with 
Baptist ministers, theological students, 
and private Christians. And I have 
wished that our denomination — the Con- 
gregational — was as free from erratic 
speculations, and as well grounded in 
the doctrines and experimental principles 
of the Puritans as the Baptists. It 
seems to me that they are the Christians 
who are likely to maintain pure Christi- 
anity and hold fast the form of sound 
words.' ' 

The great Scotch Presbyterian, Dr. 
Chalmers, pays the following tribute to 
the English Baptists : " Let it never be 
forgotten of the Particular Baptists of 
England that they form the denomina- 
tion of Fuller and Carey and Ryland and 
Hall and Foster; that they have origi- 
nated among the greatest of all mission- 
ary enterprises ; that they have enriched 
the Christian literature of our country 



144 

with authorship of the most exalted piety, 
as well as of the first talent, and the first 
eloquence ; that they have waged a very 
noble and successful war with the hydra 
of Antinomianism ; that perhaps there is 
not a more intellectual community of 
ministers in our islands, or who have put 
forth, to their number, a greater amount 
of mental power and mental activity in 
the defense and illustration of our com- 
mon faith ; and what is better than all 
the triumphs of genius or understanding, 
who by their zeal and fidelity and pas- 
toral labor among congregations which 
they have reared, have done more to 
swell the list of genuine discipleship in 
the walks of private society, and thus 
both to uphold and extend the living 
Christianity of our nation." 

Baptists have no cause to be ashamed 
of the roll call of their illustrious men. 
Passing by the notable names of the 
early and middle ages, and coming down 
to modern times, we might point to 
John Bunyan, " the immortal dreamer," 
whose great allegory has been translated 
into more languages of the world than 



*45 

any other book except the Bible ; to 
John Milton, whose colossal genius pro- 
duced " Paradise Lost n ; to Robert Hall, 
that most finished pulpit orator, the 
Chrysostom of modern times ; to John 
Foster, whom Sir James Mackintosh pro- 
nounced " one of the most profound and 
eloquent writers that England has pro- 
duced "; to Andrew Fuller, the eminent 
theologian, who "traverses with giant 
steps the whole empire of revelation and 
of reason, as its handmaid " ; to John 
Howard, the devoted philanthropist and 
unselfish reformer ; to William Carey, 
one of the most prominent leaders of the 
modern missionary enterprise, who dur- 
ing the forty years of his labors in India 
in connection with his associates, pub- 
lished over two hundred and twelve 
thousand volumes of the Bible, in forty 
different languages ; to Adoniram Jud- 
son, the heroic apostle of Burma, one of 
the first missionaries that ever left the 
shores of America for a heathen land ; 
to Sir Henry Havelock, the valiant 
Christian warrior, whose name and fame 
can never be forgotten while the dread- 

K 



146 

ful memories of Lucknow remain ; to 
C. H. Spurgeon, confessedly the most 
eminent of preachers, who from his 
pulpit addressed the largest assembly 
that in his day convened for religious 
purposes. 

One of the first of those missionary 
organizations, established at the close of 
the last century and the beginning of the 
present, which had for their prime object 
the evangelization of the heathen world, 
was the Baptist Missionary Society, es- 
tablished in 1792. Of the efforts of this 
Society " Chambers' Cyclopedia " thus 
speaks : " No mission band has arisen in 
any denomination within the century 
who have surpassed the agents of the 
Baptist Missionary Society in ardent 
zeal, patient perseverance, and invincible 
fortitude, in carrying out their Lord's 
Commission to preach the gospel to 
every creature. The names of Carey, 
Marshman, Ward, and Knibb will be 
had in grateful remembrance by all suc- 
ceeding generations, and their footsteps 
are now being trod by a long list of 
Christian missionaries of all evangelical 



147 

persuasions, who are ( the messengers of 
the churches, and the glory of Christ.' " 

That great parent of Bible societies 
(the British and Foreign), having for its 
object to give the Holy Scriptures to all 
the world, originated mainly through 
the efforts of a Baptist minister, Rev. 
Joseph Hughes, of Battersea, near Lon- 
don. The translation and dissemination 
of the word of God has always formed an 
important part of the work done by Bap- 
tists, and they have brought to it a devo- 
tion not surpassed by any. The London 
11 Quarterly Review," referring in 1809 
to the labors of Carey and his friends in 
India, said: "In fourteen years they have 
done more toward spreading the knowl- 
edge of the Scriptures among the heathen 
than all the world besides." 

Among the earliest, if not the very 
earliest, evangelical Christian churches 
in Bengal, Burma, Siam, China, West 
Africa, and the West Indies, were Baptist 
churches. And the standard of the cross 
raised by the faithful and fearless pio- 
neers now waves over multitudes re- 
claimed from heathenism. 



148 

XIV 

Statistics, etc. 

The increase of the Baptists is remark- 
able. For example : In the United 
States, in the year 1770, there were yy 
Baptist churches ; there were in 1880, 
26,060, with 2,296,327 members, that 
is communicants. During the last fifty 
years we have gained nearly 20,000 
churches, equivalent to more than one 
church every day during all those years. 
There were baptized into the fellowship 
of our churches in the United States 
during the year 1880, on a credible pro- 
fession of their faith, one hundred and two 
thousand seven hundred and twenty-four 
persons. There were at that date over 
fifty churches of our denomination in the 
city of Philadelphia alone. 

In the Dominion of Canada we have 
(1880) 710 churches and 63,822 members ; 
in Great Britain, 2,591 churches and 268,- 
478 members; in the West Indies, 158 
churches and 26,439 members. There 
are Baptist churches in nearly every 






149 

country in Europe, including Russia, 
Austria, and Turkey. In Germany there 
are 121 Baptist churches, with 25,497 
members ; in Sweden, 298 churches and 
18,851 members. 

In India and Ceylon we had, in 1880, 
147 churches and 25,488 members ; in 
Burma, 433 churches and 21,594 mem- 
bers. Including those in all lands, we 
obtain the following numbers : 

Churches. Members. 

Europe 3,135 322,537 

Asia 609 49,014 

Africa 56 3,173 

America 26, 936 2, 386, 747 

Australasia 162 7,002 

30,898 2,768,473 

[Note. — The foregoing statistics were 
gathered in 1880. Since then there has 
been great increase in many places, e.g., 
there are now (1898) : 

SSSL Members - 

In the United States . . . .43,397 4,055,806 

Continent of Europe .... 1,052 105,652 
India, including Assam and 

Burma 985 105,696 

In the United States, in the year 1897, 
there were baptized into our churches 



i5° 

198,432 persons, and 136 new churches 
were constituted]. 

When we speak of " members," it does 
not include " adherents," or " probation- 
ers," or any such classes, but actual 
church-members, communicants, those 
who profess to be real Christians. 

And these principles are spreading very 
rapidly, and indirectly affecting those 
who will not yet acknowledge that they 
are scriptural. References to the statis- 
tics of other denominations show that, 
in the United States especially, infant 
baptism is gradually declining, the num- 
ber of adult baptisms far exceeding that 
of infants. It is stated that therein 
"not one child in ten receives the rite." 
Multitudes are becoming convinced of 
the unscripturalness of such an ordi- 
nance ; and conscientious Christians 
when they see clearly that there is no 
warrant for it in God's word, will aban- 
don it. Large numbers of Pedobaptist 
ministers from various denominations 
every year adopt the principles here ad- 
vocated, and become connected with the 
Baptist body. 



i5i 

In view of the prosperity granted to us 
as a people, and the prospects of still 
greater triumphs of the truth, we will 
but say, to God be all the praise. We 
do not glory in these things. We glory 
11 in the cross of our L,ord Jesus Christ " 
alone ; but we are thankful for what God 
has accomplished by his truth through 
our instrumentality. 

As regards their relations w r ith other 
Christian communities, and with their 
fellow-men in general, Baptists are not 
open to the charge sometimes brought 
against them, of illiberality or exclu- 
siveness. They are always ready to co- 
operate with their fellow-Christians of 
other persuasions, in religious effort, in 
benevolent institutions, in the promo- 
tion of every enterprise for the mental, 
moral, and spiritual welfare of the world, 
in every good cause, where no compro- 
mise of principle is involved. They en- 
tertain sincere respect and love for the 
people of God of every name, and are 
ready to manifest this Christian friend- 
ship as fully and unmistakably as any, 
but they will not sacrifice God's truth. 



152 

Baptists are not, according to the his- 
torical signification of the term, Protes- 
tants. They do in reality protest, as their 
predecessors have always done, against 
all that is unscriptural in doctrine or 
practice, wherever it exists ; but Protes- 
tantism, so called, is only as old as A. D. 
1529, when the celebrated Protest of cer- 
tain German States and princes was made 
at the diet of Spires. We profess to be 
real Protestants, and we stand side by 
side, and are one in heart, with all evan- 
gelical Christians. We say to those who 
came out from the great apostasy at the 
Reformation, God speed you and help 
you to do a good work ! You have 
reason to protest against the errors of 
that body from which you came out, only 
you do not carry your protest far enough. 
We never were enclosed within Rome's 
pale, but we rejoice in the work you are 
doing, and would rejoice more fully if it 
were more thorough. Oh, that the Re- 
formers had accomplished a complete 
Reformation ! Oh, that they had left cer- 
tain things behind them when they came 
out! How much more glorious, more 



153 

powerful, and more triumphant would 
the Reformation have been ! But it was 
scarcely to be expected that they could at 
once shake off all the errors among which 
they had been reared. It was a great 
spiritual resurrection, and in coming 
forth from the tomb some of the grave- 
clothes clung to them. How desirable 
that their descendants should complete 
the work which they began, and now 
render the Reformation perfect ! 

The work of our God shall stand for- 
ever. It may be opposed and its holy 
light obscured for a time, but in the end 
it must be acknowledged. The Bible is 
the only infallible guide amid the vary- 
ing currents of human opinion. But if 
it is to be our guide it must be fully ac- 
cepted and implicitly obeyed. Neither 
long-standing custom, nor natural incli- 
nation, nor self-interest, nor the example 
of numbers, nor any other consideration, 
should be suffered for a moment to stand 
between us and the hearty reception of, 
and unhesitating obedience to, the teach- 
ings of Jesus. In God's book we are 
counseled to " buy the truth and sell it 



iS4 

not." Oh, the truth, the truth of God, 
what a blessed possession ! Be it ours 
to embrace and keep it unadulterated by 
human opinions or traditions, for when 
we appear before our Master's throne 
nothing but truth will stand. 



ARTICLES OF FAITH 

AND 

COVENANT 



The following are the Articles of Faith 
which embody the doctrines generally 
held by the Baptist churches of America, 
and they are substantially those of Bap- 
tists in all lands. A few only of the 
proof-texts under each Article are noted 
here, since to give them all would oc- 
cupy much space. Following these Arti- 
cles is the Covenant, which is very gen- 
erally adopted by our churches, and into 
which each new member voluntarily 
enters. 

I. THE SCRIPTURES. 

We believe that the Holy Bible was 
written by men divinely inspired, and is 
a perfect treasure of heavenly instruc- 
tion ; that it has God for its author, sal- 
vation for its end, and truth without any 
mixture of error for its matter ; that it 
i5S 



*56 

reveals the principles by which God will 
judge us ; and therefore is, and shall re- 
main to the end of the world, the true cen- 
ter of Christian union and the supreme 
standard by which all human conduct, 
creeds, and opinions should be tried.-— 2 
Tim. 3 : 16, 17 ; 2 Peter 1 : 21 ; Isa. 8 : 20. 

II. THE TRUE GOD. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
there is one, and only one living and 
true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, 
whose name is Jehovah, the Maker and 
Ruler of heaven and earth ; inexpressi- 
bly glorious in holiness, and worthy of 
all possible honor, confidence, and love; 
that in the unity of the Godhead there 
are three persons, the Father, the Son, 
and the Holy Ghost ; equal in every 
divine perfection, and executing distinct 
but harmonious offices in the great work 
of redemption. — Exod. 34 : 6, 7 ; Deut. 
6 : 4, 5; Mark 12 : 30; Rev. 4 : 11 ; 
Matt. 28 : 19. 

III. THE FALL OF MAN. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
man was created in holiness, under the 



157 

law of his Maker ; but by voluntary 
transgression fell from that holy and 
happy state ; in consequence of which 
all mankind are now sinners, not by 
constraint but choice, being by nature 
utterly void of that holiness required by 
the law of God, positively inclined to 
evil, and therefore under just condemna- 
tion to eternal ruin, without defense or 
excuse. — Gen. i : 27 ; Gen. 3 ; Isa. 53 : 
6 ; Rom. 5 : 12-19. 

IV. THK WAY OF SALVATION. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
the salvation of sinners is wholly of 
grace, through the mediatorial offices of 
the Son of God, who by the appointment 
of the Father freely took upon him our 
nature, yet without sin, honored the 
divine law by his personal obedience, and 
by his death made a full atonement for 
our sins, that having risen from the dead 
he is now enthroned in heaven, and 
uniting in his wonderful person the ten- 
derest sympathies with divine perfec- 
tions, he is every way qualified to be a 
suitable, a compassionate, and an all- 



i58 

sufficient Saviour. — Isa. 53 : 4, 5 ; John 
3 : 16 ; Eph. 2 : 5. 

V. JUSTIFICATION. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
the great gospel blessing which Christ 
secures to such as believe in him is jus- 
tification ; that justification includes the 
pardon of sin and the promise of eternal 
life on principles of righteousness ; that 
it is bestowed not in consideration of any 
works of righteousness which we have 
done, but solely through faith in the Re- 
deemer's blood ; by virtue of which faith 
his perfect righteousness is freely im- 
puted to us of God; that it brings us 
into a state of most blessed peace and 
favor with God, and secures every other 
blessing needful for time and eternity. — 
Rom. 4 : 4, 5; 5 :i, 9, 17, 19. 

VI. THE FRKENESS OF SALVATION. 
We believe the Scriptures teach that 
the blessings of salvation are made free 
to all by the gospel ; that it is the imme- 
diate duty of all to accept them by a 
cordial, penitent, and obedient faith ; and 
that nothing prevents the salvation of 



i59 

the greatest sinner on earth but his own 
determined depravity and voluntary re- 
jection of the gospel, which rejection in- 
volves him in an aggravated condemna- 
tion.— Isa. 55 : i ; John 3 : 19; 5 : 40 ; 
Rev. 22 : 17. 

VII. REGENERATION. 
We believe the Scriptures teach that 
in order to be saved, sinners must be re- 
generated, or born again ; that regenera- 
tion consists in giving a holy disposition 
to the mind ; that it is effected in a man- 
ner above our comprehension by the 
power of the Holy Spirit, in connection 
with divine truth, so as to secure our 
voluntary obedience to the gospel ; and 
that its proper evidence appears in the 
holy fruits of repentance and faith and 
newness of life. — Ezek. 36 : 26 ; John 
3 : 3; 2 Cor. 5 : 17; Eph. 5 : 9. 

VIII. REPENTANCE AND FAITH. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
repentance and faith are sacred duties, 
and also inseparable graces, wrought in 
our souls by the regenerating Spirit of 
God ; whereby being deeply convinced of 



i6o 

our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and 
of the way of salvation by Christ, we 
turn to God with unfeigned contrition, 
confession, and supplication for mercy ; 
at the same time heartily receiving the 
Lord Jesus Christ as our prophet, priest, 
and king, and relying on him alone as 
the only and all-sufficient Saviour. — 
Mark i : 15 ; Luke 15 : 18-21 ; Acts 2 : 
37, 38; Rom. 10 : 9-1 1. 

ix. god's purpose: of grace. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
election is the eternal purpose of God, 
according to which he graciously regen- 
erates, sanctifies, and saves sinners ; that 
being perfectly consistent with the free 
agency of man, it comprehends all the 
means in connection with the end ; that 
it is a most glorious display of God's 
sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, 
wise, holy, and unchangeable ; that it 
utterly excludes boasting, and promotes 
humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in 
God, and active imitation of his free 
mercy ; that it encourages the use of 
means in the highest degree ; that it may 



i6i 

be ascertained by its effects in all who 
truly believe the gospel; that it is the 
foundation of Christian assurance ; and 
that to ascertain it with regard to our- 
selves demands and deserves the utmost 
diligence. — Exod. 33 : 19 ; Rom. 8 : 28- 
31 ; 2 Thess. 2 : 13, 14 ; 2 Tim. 1 : 8, 9. 

X. SANCTIFICATION. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
sanctification is the process by which, 
according to the will of God, we are 
made partakers of his holiness ; that it 
is a progressive work ; that it is begun 
in regeneration ; and that it is carried on 
in the hearts of believers by the presence 
and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer 
and Comforter, in the continual use of 
the appointed means — especially the 
word of God, self-examination, self-de- 
nial, watchfulness, and prayer. — Prov. 
4 : 18; Rom. 8:551 Thess. 4 : 35 5> «3- 
XI. PERSEVERANCE OF SAINTS. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
such only are real believers as endure 
unto the end ; that their persevering at- 
tachment to Christ is the grand mark 



l62 

which distinguishes them from super- 
ficial professors ; that a special provi- 
dence watches over their welfare, and 
that they are kept by the power of God 
through faith unto salvation. — John 8 : 
31 ; 10 : 27-29; Phil. 1 : 6 ; 1 John 2 : 19. 

XII. THE LAW AND GOSPEL. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
the law of God is the eternal and un- 
changeable rule of his moral govern- 
ment ; that it is holy, just, and good ; and 
that the inability which the Scriptures 
ascribe to fallen men to fulfill its pre- 
cepts, arises entirely from their love of 
sin ; to deliver them from which, and to 
restore them through a Mediator to un- 
feigned obedience to the holy law, is one 
great end of the gospel and of the means 
of grace connected with the establish- 
ment of the visible church. — Luke 16 : 
17 ; Rom. 3:31; 7 : 12 ; 8 : 2, 4 ; Gal. 
3 : 21. 

XIII. A GOSPEL CHURCH. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
a visible church of Christ is a congrega- 
tion of baptized believers, associated by 



163 

covenant in the faith and fellowship of 
the gospel, observing the ordinances of 
Christ, governed by his laws, and exer- 
cising the gifts, rights, and privileges in- 
vested in them by his word ; that its only 
scriptural offices are bishops or pastors, 
and deacons, whose qualifications, claims, 
and duties are defined in the Epistles to 
Timothy and Titus. — Matt. 28 : 19, 20; 
Acts 2 : 41, 42 ; Phil. 1 : 1 ; 1 Tim. 3 ; 
Titus 1. 

XIV. BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
Christian baptism is the immersion in 
water of a believer, into the name of the 
Father and Son and Holy Spirit, to show 
forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, 
our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen 
Saviour, with its effect in our death to 
sin and resurrection to a new life ; that 
it is prerequisite to the privileges of a 
church relation and to the Lord's Sup- 
per, in which the members of the church, 
by the sacred use of bread and wine, are 
to commemorate together the dying love 
of Christ, preceded always by solemn 



164 

self-examination. — Matt. 28 : 19, 20 ; 
Acts 2 : 41, 42 ; 8 : 12 ; 8 : 36-39 ; Rom. 
6:4; Matt. 26 : 26-29. 

XV. THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
the first day of the week is the Lord's 
Day, or Christian Sabbath, and is to be 
kept sacred to religious purposes, by ab- 
staining from all secular labor and 
worldly recreation, by the devout ob- 
servance of all the means of grace, both 
private and public, and by preparation 
for that rest that remaineth for the peo- 
ple of God. — Exod. 20 : 8 ; Isa. 58 : 13, 
14 ; John 20 : 1, 19, 26 ; Acts 20 : 7 ; Heb. 
10 : 25 ; Rev. 1 : 10. 

XVI. CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 
We believe the Scriptures teach that 
civil government is of divine appoint- 
ment, for the interest and good order of 
human society, and that magistrates are 
to be prayed for, conscientiously honored 
and obeyed, except only in things op- 
posed to the will of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who is the only Lord of the con- 
science and the Prince of the kings of 



i6 5 

the earth. — Matt. 22 : 21 ; Rom. 13 : 1- 
7 ; Acts 5 : 29 ; Dan. 3 : 16-18. 

XVII. RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
there is a radical and essential difference 
between the righteous and the wicked ; 
that such only as through faith are justi- 
fied in the name of the Lord Jesus, and 
sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are 
truly righteous in his esteem ; while all 
such as continue in impenitence and 
unbelief are in his sight wicked, and un- 
der the curse ; and this distinction holds 
among men both in and after death. — 
Mai. 3:18; Matt. 25 : 46 ; 1 John 5 : 19. 

XVIII. THE WOEXD TO COME. 

We believe the Scriptures teach that 
the end of the world is approaching ; 
that at the last day Christ will descend 
from heaven, and raise the dead from 
the grave for final retribution ; that a 
solemn separation will then take place ; 
that the wicked will be adjudged to 
endless punishment, and the righteous 
to endless joys, and that this judgment 
will fix forever the final state of men in 



i66 

heaven or hell, on principles of right- 
eousness. — Matt. 25 : 13; Acts 1 : 11 ; 1 
Thess. 4 : 13-18 ; John 5 : 28, 29. 

COVENANT. 

Having been, as we trusf;, brought by 
divine grace to embrace the Lord Jesus 
Christ, and to give ourselves wholly to 
him, we do now solemnly and joyfully 
covenant with each other to walk to- 
gether in him, with brotherly love, to 
his glory, as our common I,ord. We do 
therefore, in his strength, engage — 

That we will exercise a Christian care 
and watchfulness over each other, and 
faithfully warn, exhort, and admonish 
each other, as occasion may require. 

That we will not forsake the assem- 
bling of ourselves together, but will up- 
hold the public worship of God, and the 
ordinances of his house. 

That we will not omit closet and fam- 
ily religion at home, nor neglect the 
great duty of religiously training our 
children, and those under our care, for 
the service of Christ, and the enjoyment 
of heaven. 



167 

That, as Christians are the light of the 
world and salt of the earth, we will seek 
divine aid to enable us to deny ungodli- 
ness, and every worldly lust, and to walk 
circumspectly in the world, that we may 
win the souls of men. 

That we will cheerfully contribute of 
our property, according as God has pros- 
pered us, for the maintenance of a faith- 
ful and evangelical ministry among us, 
for the support of the poor, and to spread 
the gospel over the earth. 

That we will, in all conditions, even 
till death, strive to live to the glory of 
him who hath called us out of darkness 
into his marvelous light. 

u And may the God of peace, who 
brought again from the dead our Lord 
Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 
through the blood of the everlasting 
covenant, make us perfect in every good 
work, to do his will, working in us that 
which is well pleasing in his sight, 
through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory 
for ever and ever. Amen." 



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